English
Proavis
From pro- (“prior”) + Latin avis (“bird”)
Formed from pro- ‘prior’ + avis ‘bird’
Proto-Indo-European *pér ‘through’
Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘forwards, before’
Proto-Italic *prō ‘in front of, before’
Latin prō ‘in favor of, on behalf of’
English pro-
Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
…
Latin vīsō ‘to see’
Latin visum ‘vision, image’
Old French avis ‘opinion’
Middle English avys ‘opinion’
English avis
Today it means
noun Any of various hypothetical extinct species or taxa that were coined in the early 20th century in an attempt to support and explain the hypothetical evolutionary steps and anatomical adaptations leading from non-avian theropod dinosaurs to birds.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proavis