English
provident
Provident comes from Latin prōvidēns ‘foreseeing’, 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 CEprōvideō‘to foresee’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōvidēns‘foreseeing’present participle of prōvideō
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500provident
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1601–1602same 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 CEprōvideō‘to foresee’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōvidēns‘foreseeing’present participle of prōvideō
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500provident
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1601–1602same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, Twelfe Night, or What You Will: “I saw your brother, Most provident in peril, bind…”
Equivalent to provide + -ent
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, hypothyroidism, improvise, 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, visit, video, interview, evidence, vision, invisible, visa, visibility, vista, revise, evident, voyeur, vide, invidious, 16 more
through Latin prōvideō ‘to foresee’
provision, purview, purveyor, prudential, 8 more
through Latin prōvidēns ‘foreseeing’
Today it means
adj Possessing, exercising, or demonstrating great care and consideration for the future.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weyd- / provident