Where does “providential” come from?
Providential comes from English -al added to English providence, from Latin prōvidentia meaning foresight, derived from Latin prō- and Latin vidēre meaning to see.
providential (English): Pertaining to divine providence; Fortunate, as if...
Definitions
- Pertaining to divine providence; Fortunate, as if...
Ancestry of “providential”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | providentiel | providential |
| 2 | French | providence | providence |
| 3 | Latin | prōvidentia | The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge |
| 4 | Latin | prōvidēns | foreseeing |
| 5 | Latin | prōvideō | to foresee |
| 6 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |