Etymograph

English

prior

Prior comes from Latin prior ‘earlier, former’, from Proto-Italic *priōs ‘more before’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘forwards, before’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pró‘forwards, before’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pri‘before’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*priōs‘former, earlier’literally ‘more before’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprior‘earlier, former’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1739prior

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pró‘forwards, before’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pri‘before’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*priōs‘former, earlier’literally ‘more before’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprior‘earlier, former’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1739prior

Earliest quotation: 1739, David Hume, Rules by which to Judge of Causes and Effects: “Since therefore 'tis poſſible for all objects to become…”

The story

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Latin prior (‘earlier, former, previous, prior; in front; (figurative) better, superior’), from Proto-Italic *priōs (“earlier, previous”, literally “more before”), ultimately from *pri (‘before’) (from Proto-Indo-European *pró (‘leading to, toward’) and its etymon *per- (‘before, in front; first’)) + *-jōs (suffix forming comparative adjectives).

Linked words

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

first, before, far, per, further, support, report, fear, press, practice, opportunity, private, price, appreciate, pre, transport, sport, primary, port, pregnant, afford, practical, prime, parade, ford, par, forth, praise, ferry, prize, pirate, fare, interpretation, precious, pardon, privilege, porch, primitive, afar, interpreter, 157 more

through Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘leading to, toward’

pro, prominent, proton, prolactin, 10 more

Another origin of prior

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*préy‘before’reconstructed
  2. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCE*pri‘before’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*priōs‘former’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprior‘ancestor’
  5. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400priour
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150prior
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500priour
  8. Englishtodayprior

Today it means

adj Coming before in order or time; earlier, former, previous.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pró / prior

Shirt and support for this word