Where does “probe” come from?
Probe comes from Latin probare, derived from the adjective probus, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European roots per- and bʰuH-.
probe (English): Any of various medical instruments used to...
Definitions
- Any of various medical instruments used to...
Ancestry of “probe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | probāre | — |
| 2 | Latin | probō | to approve, permit, commend |
| 3 | Latin | Probus | good, serviceable, excellent, superior, able |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | pro-bhwo- | being in front, prominent |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |