Where does “pronouncement” come from?
Pronouncement derives from Old French prononcement, formed from Old French pro- and -ment (from Latin -mentum), with pro- from Latin pro and ultimately Proto-Indo-European pro- and per-.
pronouncement (English): An official public announcement; An utterance
Definitions
- An official public announcement; An utterance
Ancestry of “pronouncement”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | prononcement | pronouncement |
| 2 | Old French | prononcier | to say; to speak; to announce; to pronounce |
| 3 | Latin | prōnūntiō | to proclaim, declare, announce |
| 4 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |