Where does “prominent” come from?

Prominent comes from French prominent, from Latin prominens, the present participle of promineo meaning "to jut forward," from pro- "forward" and a root meaning "to grow or swell."

prominent (English): standing out, or projecting; jutting;...

Definitions

  1. standing out, or projecting; jutting;...

Ancestry of “prominent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchprominent
2Latinprōminēnsprominent, jutting out, projecting
3Latinprōmineōto stand or jut out; to project, overhang; to be prominent
4Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
5Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
8Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “prominent

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European per-Every word from Proto-Indo-European por-
prominent — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer