Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “provision” come from?

Provision comes from Middle English provisioun, from Old French provision, from Latin provisio, derived from the past participle of Latin providēre meaning "to foresee," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to see" and "to grow."

provision (English): An item of goods or supplies, especially food,...

Definitions

  1. An item of goods or supplies, especially food,...

Ancestry of “provision”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishprovisiounPreparations, a readying; something which is set...
2Old Frenchprovisïon—
3Latinprōvīsiō—
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “provision”

  • underprovision
  • provisionary
  • reprovision
  • overprovision
  • provisioner
  • provisionment
  • provisionless
  • improvision
  • deprovision
  • reprovisionment
  • provisions
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →