English
prostate
Prostate comes from Ancient Greek προστάτης ‘front ranksman’, and goes back to προΐστημι.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπροΐστημιproḯstēmi‘to set or put before or in front’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπροστάτηςprostátēs‘front ranksman’
- Medieval Latinmodernprostata
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600prostate
- Englishearliest quotation 2022same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπροΐστημιproḯstēmi‘to set or put before or in front’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπροστάτηςprostátēs‘front ranksman’
- Medieval Latinmodernprostata
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600prostate
- Englishearliest quotation 2022same form
Earliest quotation: 2022, Pip Dunn, A Life Remembered: Paul Taylor - February 9 1971-August 9 20: “Finally, Paul made me get my prostate checked. As…”
A compound of πρό ‘before, in front of’ + προ- + ἵστημι ‘to stand’
Proto-Indo-European *per-
Proto-Indo-European *pér ‘through’
Proto-Indo-European *pró ‘forwards, before’
Ancient Greek πρό ‘before, in front of’
Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’
Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti ‘to be standing up, to be getting up’
Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi ‘to stand’
Ancient Greek ἵστημι ‘to stand’
Every English word from Ancient Greek προΐστημι
Today it means
noun The prostate gland.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek προΐστημι / prostate