English
progressive
Progressive comes from Middle French progressif, from Latin prōgressīvus, from prōgredior ‘to advance’ (prō- + gradior ‘to step’), ultimately from PIE *gʰredʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰredʰ-‘to walk, go’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgradior‘to step, walk’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōgredior‘to advance, proceed’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōgressīvus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600progressif
- Englishearliest quotation 2016progressive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰredʰ-‘to walk, go’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgradior‘to step, walk’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōgredior‘to advance, proceed’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōgressīvus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600progressif
- Englishearliest quotation 2016progressive
Earliest quotation: 2016, Richard Lints, Progressive and Conservative Religious Ideologies: “Conservative movements were far more progressive than the standard…”
Equivalent to progress + -ive
Proto-Indo-European *gʰredʰ- ‘to walk, go’
…
Latin prōgredior ‘to go forth, advance’
Latin prōgressus ‘an advance’
Old French progres ‘a going forward’
Middle English progresse
English progress
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰredʰ-
degree, graduate, retrograde, gradation, gree, digression, 26 more
through Latin gradior ‘step, walk’
congress, ingredient, gradient, aggression, aggressor, digress, regress, 25 more
Today it means
adj Favouring or promoting progress; advanced.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰredʰ- / progressive