Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prowess” come from?

Prowess comes from Middle English prowesse, from Old French proeche and preu, from Late Latin prode and Latin prosum meaning "to be of use or benefit," ultimately from Latin sum meaning "to be."

prowess (English): Skillfulness and manual ability; adroitness or...

Definitions

  1. Skillfulness and manual ability; adroitness or...

Ancestry of “prowess”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishprowesse—
2Old Frenchproechechivalry; bravery; valour
3Old Frenchpreubrave; valiant, chivalrous
4Late Latinprodeprofitable, useful; useful; valuable
5LatinprosumI am useful or of use, do good, help, benefit,...
6Latinprō-—
7Proto-Italic*pro-—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “prowess”

  • prowessed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →