Where does “probate” come from?
Probate comes from Middle English probate, from Latin probatus, the past participle of probare meaning "to test or approve," derived from probus meaning "good or honest," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots per- and bʰuH-.
probate (English): The legal process of verifying the legality of a...
Definitions
- The legal process of verifying the legality of a...
Ancestry of “probate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | probate | — |
| 2 | Latin | probātus | approved, having been approved |
| 3 | Latin | probō | to approve, permit, commend |
| 4 | Latin | Probus | good, serviceable, excellent, superior, able |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pro-bhwo- | being in front, prominent |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |