Where does “prove” come from?
prove (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle French preuve, from Old French prueve, from Latin proba, from Latin probāre, from Latin probō, from Latin Probus, from Proto-Indo-European pro-bhwo-, from Proto-Indo-European pro- — passed , crossed.
Ancestry of “prove”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | preuve | — |
| 2 | Old French | prueve | proof |
| 3 | Latin | proba | test, trial; proof, evidence |
| 4 | Latin | probāre | — |
| 5 | Latin | probō | to approve, permit, commend |
| 6 | Latin | Probus | good, serviceable, excellent, superior, able |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro-bhwo- | being in front, prominent |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |