Where does “problem” come from?
Problem comes from Middle English probleme, derived from Middle French probleme, from Latin problema, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα, a noun formed from the verb προβάλλω meaning to throw forward, which combines βάλλω (to throw) with the prefix pro-.
problem (English): A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt...
Definitions
- A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt...
Ancestry of “problem”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | probleme | A conundrum; a puzzling circumstance; A research... |
| 2 | Middle French | probleme | problem |
| 3 | Latin | problēma | problem, puzzle, enigma, question proposed for solution |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πρόβλημα | anything thrown forward or projecting; anything... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | προβάλλω | to throw or lay before, throw to; to put forward... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | πρό- | in front of; before |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | πρό | before; before, in front, forth, forward; before,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pró | toward, leading to |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |