Where does “prospector” come from?
Prospector comes from English prospect, derived from Latin prospectus (past participle of prospicere, meaning to look forward), which combines Latin pro- (forward) and specere (to look), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to see and move forward.
prospector (English): A person who explores or prospects an area in...
Definitions
- A person who explores or prospects an area in...
Ancestry of “prospector”, step by step
prospector traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English prospect
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | prospect | The region which the eye overlooks at one time;... |
| 2 | German | Prospekt | brochure |
| 3 | Latin | prospectus | view, sight, prospect; panorama; watched or... |
| 4 | Latin | prospicio | I look far off; I see into the distance; I watch... |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via English ‐or
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ‐or | Creates an agent noun, often from a verb, indicating a person or object (often machines or parts of them) that do the verb or part of speech with which they are formed |
| 2 | Middle English | -our | — |
| 3 | Old French | -eor | Alternative form of -or |
| 4 | Latin | -ator | -ator, -er; second-person singular future passive... |
| 5 | Latin | -tor | -er |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -tōr | Forms agent nouns to verb stems |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -tōr | Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -tor-s | — |