Where does “prêtre” come from?
prêtre (French) comes from Middle French prestre, from Old French prestre, from Latin presbyter, from Ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος, from Ancient Greek πρέσβυς, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
prêtre (French): priest
Ancestry of “prêtre”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | prestre | priest |
| 2 | Old French | prestre | priest |
| 3 | Latin | presbyter | an elder, presbyter |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πρεσβύτερος | older of two people; advanced in life, senior; a... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πρέσβυς | elderly, aged; old man; elder, chief, prince |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
Words derived from “prêtre”