English
prowess
Prowess comes from Old French proeche ‘chivalry’, from preu ‘brave’, and ultimately from Latin sum ‘to be’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsum‘to be’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōsum‘to be useful’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōdest‘is useful’third-person singular of prōsum
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprōde‘profitable, useful’reanalysis of prōdest
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400preu‘brave’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400proeche‘chivalry’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500prowesse
- Englishearliest quotation 1470–1485prowess
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsum‘to be’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōsum‘to be useful’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEprōdest‘is useful’third-person singular of prōsum
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEprōde‘profitable, useful’reanalysis of prōdest
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400preu‘brave’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400proeche‘chivalry’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500prowesse
- Englishearliest quotation 1470–1485prowess
Earliest quotation: 1470–1485, Capitulum viij: “Thenne the batails approuched and ſhoue and ſhowted on…”
Linked words
through Latin sum ‘to be’
future, present, presence, absence, essential, entity, absent, 14 more
through Latin prōsum ‘to be useful’
through Late Latin prōde ‘profitable, useful’
Today it means
noun Skillfulness or extraordinary ability in a particular area of expertise; dexterity, mastery, or proficiency.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin sum / prowess