English
proud
Proud comes from Old English prūd, probably from Old French prod ‘brave, gallant’, possibly from Late Latin prōde ‘useful’.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprōde‘useful’uncertain
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400prod‘brave, gallant’uncertain
- Old Englishc. 450–1150prūd‘proud’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500proud
- Englishearliest quotation 1609same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprōde‘useful’uncertain
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400prod‘brave, gallant’uncertain
- Old Englishc. 450–1150prūd‘proud’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500proud
- Englishearliest quotation 1609same form
Earliest quotation: 1609, –August, [Holy Sonnets] Sonnet VI [Death Be Not Proud]: “Death be not proud; though ſome have called thee…”
The story
From Middle English proud, prout, prut, from Old English prūd, prūt (‘proud, arrogant, haughty’) (compare Old English prȳtung (‘pride’); prȳde, prȳte (‘pride’), see also Old English deal), probably from Old French prod, prut (‘brave, gallant’) (modern French preux), from Late Latin prōde (‘useful’), derived from Latin prōdesse (‘to be of value’); however, the Old English umlaut derivatives prȳte, prȳtian, etc. suggest the word may be older and possibly native.
Linked words
through Latin sum ‘to be’
future, present, essential, presence, absence, entity, absent, 13 more
through Latin prosum ‘to be useful or of use, do good, help,…’
improve, approve, prowess, prude, prow, 1 more
through Old English prūd ‘proud, arrogant, haughty’
Today it means
adj Feeling honoured (by something); feeling happy or satisfied about an event or fact; gratified.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin prōde / proud