Where does “promiscuously” come from?
Promiscuously derives from English promiscuous, from Latin promiscuus combining pro- and roots meaning "to mix" or "to go before," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European elements ḱóm and per-.
promiscuously (English): In a promiscuous manner
Ancestry of “promiscuously”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | promiscuous | Made up of various disparate elements mixed... |
| 2 | Latin | prōmiscuus | — |
| 3 | Latin | prō- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | — |
| 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 |