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