English
probity
Probity comes from Latin probitās ‘uprightness, honesty’, from Proto-Italic *proβos ‘favourable’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰH-wó-s ‘being in front’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pro-bʰH-wó-s‘being in front’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβos‘favourable’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobus‘good, excellent, honest’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobitās‘uprightness, honesty’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600probité
- Englishearliest quotation 1748probity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pro-bʰH-wó-s‘being in front’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβos‘favourable’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobus‘good, excellent, honest’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobitās‘uprightness, honesty’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600probité
- Englishearliest quotation 1748probity
Earliest quotation: 1748, David Hume, Philosophical Essays Concerning Human Understanding: “[…] they can but bend our hearts to the…”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰH-wó-s ‘being in front’
proof, probation, probable, probate, probative, 2 more
through Proto-Italic *proβos ‘favourable’
improve, approve, probability, approbation, 8 more
through Latin probus ‘good, excellent, honest’
Today it means
noun Integrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰH-wó-s / probity