Where does “pregnant” come from?
pregnant (Middle French) comes from Old French pregnant, from Latin praegnans, 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 “pregnant”, step by step
pregnant traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French pregnant
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | pregnant | — |
| 2 | Latin | praegnans | Alternative form of praegnās; pregnant |
| 3 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |