Where does “providence” come from?
providence (Middle English) comes from Middle French providence, from Latin prōvidentia, from Latin prōvidēns, from Latin prōvideō, from Latin prō-, from Proto-Italic *pro-, from Proto-Indo-European pro-, from Proto-Indo-European por- — passed , crossed.
Ancestry of “providence”, step by step
providence traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French providence
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | providence | — |
| 2 | Latin | prōvidentia | The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge |
| 3 | Latin | prōvidēns | foreseeing |
| 4 | Latin | prōvideō | to foresee |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via Anglo-Norman providence
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | providence | providence |