Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prompt” come from?

Prompt comes from French prompt, from Latin promptus meaning "brought forth," derived from Latin promere "to bring forward," combining Latin pro "forward" with a root from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- "to grow or swell."

prompt (English): Quick; acting without delay; On time; punctual;...

Definitions

  1. Quick; acting without delay; On time; punctual;...

Ancestry of “prompt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchprompt—
2Latinprōmptus—
3Latinprōmō—
4Latinprō—
5Latinratusconsidered, having been considered; established,...
6Latinrēōr—
7Proto-Italicrēōrto reckon, to calculate; to think, to deem, to...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁-to think, reason; to arrange
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together

Words derived from “prompt”

  • promptly
  • prompting
  • promptness
  • prompter
  • teleprompter
  • promptbook
  • teleprompt
  • overprompt
  • promptingly
  • imprompt
  • teleprompterless
  • promptless
  • prompteur
  • téléprompteur
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →