Where does “presto” come from?
presto (Spanish) comes from Italian presto, from Italian prestare, from Latin praesto, from Latin prae-, from Proto-Italic prai-, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
presto (Spanish): quick, swift, prompt; ready, prepared;...
Definitions
- quick, swift, prompt; ready, prepared;...
Ancestry of “presto”, step by step
presto traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Italian presto
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | presto | ready; fast, quick, nimble; soon |
| 2 | Italian | prestare | to lend; to pay, to give |
| 3 | Latin | praesto | present, at hand, ready; at hand, ready to help;... |
| 4 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |