English
providence
Providence comes from Latin prōvidentia ‘providence, foresight’, from videō ‘to see’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyd-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*widéh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*widēō‘to see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvideō‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprovideōas prōvidēre, present participle‘to provide’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōvidentia‘providence, foresight’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400providence
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1957same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*widéh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*widēō‘to see’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvideō‘to see’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprovideōas prōvidēre, present participle‘to provide’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōvidentia‘providence, foresight’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400providence
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1957same form
Earliest quotation: 1957, Parliament of the United Kingdom, Preamble: “WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the law relating…”
Equivalent to provide + -ence
Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
…
Proto-Italic *widēō ‘to see’
Latin videō ‘to see’
Latin prōvideō ‘to foresee’
Middle English providen
English provide
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
story, guy, idea, advice, witness, wise, historic, guide, wisdom, wit, wizard, advise, historian, idol, witty, guise, visitation, tabloid, revue, steroid, envious, envision, druid, twit, avis, improvise, hypothyroidism, witter, idyll, trapezoid, hyperthyroidism, weet, parathyroid, hyoid, colloid, thyroxine, visite, sigmoid, thyroiditis, 95 more
through Proto-Italic *widēō ‘to see’
revision, invisibility, vada, evidential, 17 more
through Latin videō ‘to see’
review, video, visit, interview, vision, evidence, invisible, visa, visibility, vista, evident, revise, prudential, voyeur, vide, invidious, 16 more
through Latin provideō ‘to provide’
provision, prudent, purview, jurisprudence, purveyor, prudence, 9 more
Today it means
noun Preparation for the future; good governance; foresight.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weyd- / providence