Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “reproof” come from?

Reproof comes from Middle English reproof, from Old French reprove (to disapprove), from Latin reprobare (to disapprove), from Latin re- (back) and probare (to assent to), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per- (to grant or accomplish).

reproof (English): An act or instance of reproving or of...

Definitions

  1. An act or instance of reproving or of...

Ancestry of “reproof”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishproofAn effort, process, or operation designed to...
2Middle Englishproof—
3Old Frenchprove—
4Latinprobatest, trial; proof, evidence
5Latinprobāre—
6Latinprobō—
7LatinProbus—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-bhwo-being in front, prominent
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →