Etymograph

English

Prevost

Prevost comes from Old French prevost ‘provost (person)’, and goes back to Latin praepositus ‘placed in front’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraepositus‘placed in front’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400prevost‘provost (person)’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentPrévost
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2025Prevost

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraepositus‘placed in front’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400prevost‘provost (person)’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentPrévost
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2025Prevost

Earliest quotation: 2025, Eric Bradner, Pope Leo XIV’s friends say he’ll continue Francis’ legacy in: “Though Prevost spent much of his life outside the…”

Linked words

through Latin praepositus ‘placed in front’

provost, 2 more

Today it means

name A surname from French.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin praepositus / Prevost

Shirt and support for this word