Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “propagate” come from?

Propagate comes from Latin propagatus, past participle of propago, which combines the prefix pro- with a root from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- meaning to grow or swell.

propagate (English): To cause to continue or multiply by generation,...

Definitions

  1. To cause to continue or multiply by generation,...

Ancestry of “propagate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpropagatuspropagated
2LatinpropagoI propagate; I extend, enlarge, increase; set,...
3Latinprō-—
4Proto-Italic*pro-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “propagate”

  • propagating
  • propagator
  • propagative
  • counterpropagating
  • copropagating
  • backpropagate
  • repropagate
  • propagateth
  • propagatable
  • unpropagatable
  • propagatest
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →