Etymograph

English

praetorian

Praetorian comes from Latin praetor ‘praetor (office)’, from praeeō ‘to go before, precede (with dative)’, and ultimately from eō.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeō
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraeeō‘to go before, precede (with dative)’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraetor‘praetor (office)’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraetōriānus
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pretorian
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1851praetorian

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history not traced here.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEeō
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraeeō‘to go before, precede (with dative)’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraetor‘praetor (office)’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraetōriānus
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pretorian
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1851praetorian

Earliest quotation: 1851, Herman Melville, The Whale: “I am so rich, I could have given bid…”

Linked words

through Latin eō

issue, initial, exit, transition, ambitious, ambition, ambient, obituary, trance, eyre, transient, sedition, seditious, transitive, ambit, obit, ambiance, transitory, 25 more

Today it means

adj Of or pertaining to a praetor.

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

Etymograph / Latin eō / praetorian

Shirt and support for this word