English
propagate
Propagate comes from Latin prōpāgātus ‘propagated’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ- ‘to attach, fix, fasten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂ǵ-‘to attach, fix, fasten’next step skipped: Latin prōpāgō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōpāgātus‘propagated’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595propagate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂ǵ-‘to attach, fix, fasten’next step skipped: Latin prōpāgō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōpāgātus‘propagated’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1595propagate
Earliest quotation: c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet: “Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,…”
first attested First attested in 1535 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1535; from Latin prōpāgātus, perfect passive participle of prōpāgō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ- ‘to attach, fix, fasten’
travel, page, pole, compact, pale, peel, peasant, pagan, travail, pala, pectin, palisade, impinge, impactor, pagination, 30 more
Today it means
verb To cause to continue or multiply by generation, or successive production.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ǵ- / propagate