English
program
Program comes from Late Latin programma ‘a proclamation, edict’, and goes back to Ancient Greek προγράφω ‘to set forth as a public notice’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρογράφωprográphō‘to set forth as a public notice’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπρόγραμμαprógramma‘a written public notice’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprogramma‘a proclamation’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentprogramme
- Englishearliest quotation 1956program
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπρογράφωprográphō‘to set forth as a public notice’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπρόγραμμαprógramma‘a written public notice’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprogramma‘a proclamation’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentprogramme
- Englishearliest quotation 1956program
Earliest quotation: 1956, United States. Congress. Senate, Hearings: “We program for special audience groups, too, as shown…”
A compound of πρό ‘before’ + γράφω ‘to write’
Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘forwards, before’
Proto-Hellenic *pró
Ancient Greek πρό ‘before’
Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- ‘to carve’
Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō ‘to scratch, cut or carve into’
Ancient Greek γράφω ‘to write’
Every English word from Ancient Greek προγράφω
Today it means
noun A set of structured activities; a plan of action.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek προγράφω / program