English
premium
Premium comes from Latin praemium ‘prize’, from emō ‘acquire, obtain’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- ‘to take, distribute’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁em-‘to take, distribute’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*emō‘to take’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemō‘acquire, obtain’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraemium‘prize’
- Englishearliest quotation 1951premium
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁em-‘to take, distribute’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*emō‘to take’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemō‘acquire, obtain’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraemium‘prize’
- Englishearliest quotation 1951premium
Earliest quotation: 1951, State Farm Life Insurance Company, Life Agents Handbook: “(Of course, if an insured dies during the grace…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- ‘to take, distribute’
exempt, pommel, pomade, 56 more
through Proto-Italic *emō ‘to take’
assume, presume, sumptuous, 47 more
through Latin emō ‘acquire, obtain’
consumer, assumption, resume, consume, ransom, redemption, exemption, redeem, résumé, consumable, overconsumption, emptor, preemption, 42 more
Today it means
adj Superior in quality; higher in price or value.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- / premium