Etymograph

English

precede

Precede comes from Middle French précéder ‘to precede’, from Proto-Italic *prai- ‘pre-, before’, and ultimately from *prai.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*prai‘before’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*prai-‘pre-, before’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraecēdō‘to precede (go before)’
  4. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600précéder‘to precede’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1667precede

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*prai‘before’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*prai-‘pre-, before’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraecēdō‘to precede (go before)’
  4. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600précéder‘to precede’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1667precede

Earliest quotation: 1667, John Milton, Book IX: “But harm precedes not sin: onely our Foe /…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- ‘before, in front’

for, first, premier, forbid, prairie, primer, primate, primacy, parasol, parley, portobello, 17 more

through Proto-Italic *prai ‘before’

pre, premonition, 8 more

through Proto-Italic *prai- ‘pre-, before’

prestigious, prefix, preface, preeminent, prescient, impregnate, 6 more

Today it means

verb To go before, go in front of.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *prai / precede

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