Where does “prodigal” come from?
Prodigal comes from Middle French prodigal, from Late Latin prodigalis, from Latin prodigus, derived from Latin ago meaning "to drive" and the prefix pro-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-.
prodigal (English): Wastefully extravagant; Yielding profusely,...
Definitions
- Wastefully extravagant; Yielding profusely,...
Ancestry of “prodigal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | prodigal | — |
| 2 | Late Latin | prodigalis | wasteful |
| 3 | Latin | prōdigus | wasteful, lavish, prodigal |
| 4 | Latin | prōdigō | to squander, waste |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |