Where does “semi-presidential” come from?
semi-presidential (English) comes from English presidential, from English President, from Latin praesideo, from Latin prae-, from Proto-Italic prai-, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
Ancestry of “semi-presidential”, step by step
semi-presidential traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English presidential
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | presidential | Pertaining to a president or presidency;... |
| 2 | English | President | An honorific for the head of state of a republic;... |
| 3 | Latin | praesideo | I sit before or in front of; I sit beforehand; I... |
| 4 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |