Etymology dictionary

pros- — protrusion (n.)

pros-

word-forming element in words of Greek origin meaning "to, toward, before," from Greek pros (prep., adv.), also proti, "from, forth, from (one point) toward (another); furthermore; in the face of," from PIE *proti- (source also of Sanskrit prati "to, against").

prosaic (adj.)

1650s, "having to do with prose" (a sense now obsolete), from French prosaique (15c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prosaicus "in prose" (16c.), from Latin prosa "prose" (see prose). Meaning "having the character of prose (in contrast to the feeling of poetry)" is by 1746; the extended sense of "ordinary, commonplace in style or expression, lacking poetic imagination or beauty" is by 1813. Both sense are from French. Related: Prosaical; prosaically.

proscenium (n.)

c. 1600, "stage of an ancient theater," from Latin proscaenium, from Greek proskēnion "the space in front of the scenery," also "entrance of a tent," from pro "in front, before" (see pro-) + skēnē "stage, tent, booth" (see scene). Modern sense of "space between the curtain and the orchestra" (often including the curtain and its framework) is attested from 1807. Hence, figuratively, "foreground, front" (1640s).

prosciutto (n.)

Italian spiced ham, 1911, from Italian, alteration (probably by influence of prosciugato "dried") of presciutto, from pre-, here an intensive prefix, + -sciutto, from Latin exsuctus "lacking juice, dried up," past participle of exsugere "suck out, draw out moisture," from ex "out" (see ex-) + sugere "to suck" (see sup (v.2)).

proscribe (v.)

early 15c., proscriben, "write before or in front, prefix," from Latin proscribere "publish in writing" (literally "write in front of"), including "publish as having forfeited one's property; condemn, outlaw before the world," from pro "before" (see pro-) + scribere "to write" (from PIE root *skribh- "to cut").

From mid-15c. as "to exile, put out of the protection of the law" (implied in proscribed). By 1550s as "publish the name of as condemned to death and liable to confiscation of property." The meaning "denounce and prohibit (something) as wrong or dangerous" is recorded by 1620s.

proscriptive (adj.)

"pertaining to or consisting in proscription," 1757, from Latin proscript-, past-participle stem of proscribere (see proscribe) + -ive. Related: Proscriptively.

proscription (n.)

late 14c., proscripcioun, "decree of condemnation, outlawry, sentence of exile, the dooming of a citizen to death as a public enemy and confiscation of his goods," from Latin proscriptionem (nominative proscriptio) "a public notice (of sale); proscription, outlawry, confiscation," noun of action from past-participle stem of proscribere "publish in writing" (see proscribe).

prose (n.)

c. 1300, "story, narration," from Old French prose (13c.) and directly from Latin prosa, short for prosa oratio "straightforward or direct speech" (without the ornaments of verse), from prosa, fem. of prosus, earlier prorsus "straightforward, direct," from Old Latin provorsus "(moving) straight ahead," from pro "forward" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward") + vorsus "turned," past participle of vertere "to turn" (from PIE root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend").

The meaning "prose writing; non-poetry" (as opposed to verse or metric composition); "the ordinary written or spoken language of people" is from mid-14c.

The sense of "dull or commonplace expression" is from 1680s, out of the earlier sense of "plain expression" (1560s). As an adjective, "relating to or consisting of prose," by 1711. Prose-writer is attested from 1610s; those who lament the want of a single-word English agent noun to correspond to poet might try prosaist (1776), proser (1620s), or Frenchified prosateur (1880), though the first two in their day also acquired in English the secondary sense "dull writer."

prosecute (v.)

early 15c., prosecuten, "to follow up, pursue with a view to carry out or obtain" (some course or action), from Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi "follow after, accompany; chase, pursue; attack, assail, abuse," from pro- "forward" (see pro-) + sequi "follow" (from PIE root *sekw- (1) "to follow"). Meaning "bring to a court of law, seek to obtain by legal process" is recorded from 1570s. The Latin verb in Old French became prosequer, vulgarly porsuir, which passed to English as pursue.

prosecution (n.)

1560s, "the carrying out or following up of anything" (also literal, "action of pursuing, a following after," but this is obsolete), from French prosecution (late 13c.) and directly from Late Latin prosecutionem (nominative prosecutio) "a following," noun of action from past-participle stem of prosequi "to follow after; chase, pursue; attack, assail" (see prosecute). The meaning "legal action, the institution and carrying out of a suit at law" is from 1630s. Hence, transferred, "the party by whom legal proceedings are initiated" (1891).

prosecutor (n.)

"one who pursues or carries on any purpose," 1590s, from Medieval Latin prosecutor, agent noun from prosequi (see prosecute). The specific legal sense of "one who brings a case in a court of law" is from 1620s; earlier such a person was a promoter (late 15c.). Related: Prosecutorial.

proselyte (n.)

"one who changes from one sect, creed, etc. to another," late 14c., proselite, "a convert, especially "a heathen convert to Judaism" (in Biblical writings, e.g. Matthew xxiii.15, Ezekiel xiv.7), from Old French proselite (13c., Modern French prosélyte), from Late Latin proselytus, from Greek prosēlytos "convert (to Judaism), stranger," literally "one who has come over."

It is a noun use of an adjective meaning "having arrived," from pros "from, forth, toward" (see pros-) + eleusomai "to go, come" (from PIE *elu-to-, from root *leudh- "to grow up, come out" (see liberal (adj.)).

proselytize (v.)

1670s, "to make proselytes," from proselyte + -ize. The transitive sense of "convert (someone) to some religion, doctrine, etc.," is by 1796. Related: Proselytized; proselytizing. The earlier verb form was simply proselyte (1620s).

proselytization (n.)

"action or work of proselytizing," 1846, from proselytize + noun ending -ation.

proselytizer (n.)

"one who works or endeavors to make converts," 1811, agent noun from proselytize.

proselytism (n.)

"the act or practice of making converts to a religion, doctrine, creed, sect, etc.," 1650s, from proselyte + -ism.

proselytise (v.)

chiefly British English spelling of proselytize (q.v.). For suffix, see -ize. Related: Proselytised; proselytising.

Proserpina

in Roman religion, one of the greater gods, daughter of Ceres and wife of Pluto; a Latin (or Etruscan) corruption or modification of Greek Persephonē (see Persephone), perhaps influenced by Latin proserpere "to creep forth" on the notion of the germination of plants.

prosiness (n.)

"character or quality of being prosy," 1814, from prosy + -ness.

prosy (adj.)

"like prose," hence "dull, tedious," 1814 (in a letter of Jane Austen), from prose + -y (2). Related: Prosiness.

prosify (v.)

"turn into prose, make prosaic," 1774, from prose + -ify. Related: Prosified; prosifying.

prosit (interj.)

1846, toast or expression wishing good health (from 16c., famously a drinking pledge by German students), Latin, literally "may it advantage (you)," third person singular present subjunctive of prodesse "to do good, be profitable" (see proud (adj.)).

pro-slavery (adj.)

"favoring slavery; siding with the political interests of slaveholders," 1825, from pro- + slavery.

prosodemic (adj.)

in linguistics, 1964, with -ic + prosodeme (1940), from Greek proso-, probably meant to be related to pros "toward, to, at, against, near" (see pros-) + -eme.

prosody (n.)

late 15c., prosodie, "the science or craft of versification, the knowledge of the quantities of syllables in poetry and their pronunciation," from Latin prosodia "accent of a syllable," from Greek prosōidia "song sung to music," also "accent mark; modulation of voice," etymologically "a singing in addition to," from pros "to, forward, near" (see pros-) + ōidē "song, poem" (see ode). Related: Prosodiacal; prosodial; prosodist.

prosonomasia (n.)

in rhetoric, a kind of pun, but usually involving a name, a figure based on the likeness of a sound in two or more words or names, 1580s, abstract noun from Latinized form of Greek prosonomazein "to call by a (nick-)name," from pros "to, toward, before" (see pros-) + onoma "name" (from PIE root *no-men- "name").

prosopagnosia (n.)

"inability to recognize faces," 1950, Medical Latin from German prosopagnosie (1948), from Greek prosopon "face" (see prosopopeia) + agnosia "ignorance" (see agnostic).

prosopopeia (n.)

also prosopopoeia, 1560s, from Latin prosopopoeia, from Greek prosōpopoiia "the putting of speeches into the mouths of others," from prosōpon "person; face; dramatic character," etymologically "that which is toward the eyes," from pros "to" (see pros-) + ōps "eye, face" (from PIE root *okw- "to see") + poiein "to make, form, do" (see poet). Generally, a rhetorical figure in which an imaginary or absent person, or abstraction or inanimate character, is made to speak or act. Sometimes Englished as prosopopy (1570s).

prospect (n.)

early 15c., "act of looking into the distance, condition of facing something else or a certain direction," from Latin prospectus "distant view, look out; sight, faculty of sight," noun use of past participle of prospicere "look out on, look forward," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + specere "look at" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe").

The meaning "extensive view of the landscape, view of things within the reach of the eye" is from 1530s; transferred sense of "mental view or survey" is from 1620s. The meaning "that which is presented to the eye, scene" is from 1630s.

The sense of "person or thing considered promising" is from 1922, from the earlier sense of "expectation, ground of expectation," especially of advantage (1660s) on the notion of "looking forward," hence "anticipation." Hence prospects "things looked forward to." The meaning "a wide, long, straight street or avenue" is by 1866, in a Russian context, and thus often spelled prospekt.

prospective (adj.)

1580s, "characterized by looking to the future," from obsolete French prospectif and directly from Medieval Latin prospectivus "affording a prospect; pertaining to a prospect," from Latin prospect-, past-participle stem of prospicere "look out on, look forward," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + specere "look at" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe"). The sense of "being in prospect or expectation, looked forward to" is by 1829.

Also used as a noun in various senses: "outlook, prospect, view" (1590s); "spy glass, telescope" (17c.), from the adjectival sense of "suitable for viewing at a distance" (c. 1600). Related: Prospectively.

prospection (n.)

"act of looking forward or into the distance," 1660s; see prospect (n.) + -ion.

prospect (v.)

"explore for gold or other minerals, examine land with a view to a mining claim," 1841, from prospect (n.) in specialized sense of "spot giving prospects of ore" (1832). Earlier in a now-obsolete sense of "look forth, look out over" (1550s), from Latin prospectare, frequentative of prospicere. Related: Prospected; prospecting.

prospector (n.)

also prospecter, 1846 in the mining sense of "one who searches for valuable minerals or ores as a preliminary to regular operations;" agent noun from prospect (v.).

prospectus (n.)

"printed plan or sketch meant to make known the chief features of some proposed enterprise," 1765, from French prospectus (1723) and directly from Latin prospectus "a lookout, a view" (see prospect (n.)).

prosperity (n.)

"flourishing or thriving condition, good fortune, wealth, success in anything good or desirable," c. 1200, prosperite, from Old French prosprete (12c., Modern French prospérité) and directly from Latin prosperitatem (nominative prosperitas) "good fortune," from prosperus (see prosper).

prosperous (adj.)

early 15c., "favorable, auspicious, tending to bring success;" late 15c., "flourishing, successful, making good progress in anything good or desirable;" from Anglo-French prosperous, prospereus, Anglo-Latin prosperosus, or directly from Old French prospereus (15c.), from prosperer, extended form of prospere, from Latin prosperus "favorable, fortunate" (see prosper). Related: Prosperously; prosperousness.

prosper (v.)

mid-14c., prosperen, "be successful, thrive, advance in any good thing," from Old French prosperer (14c.) and directly from Latin prosperare "cause to succeed, render happy," from prosperus "favorable, fortunate, prosperous" (source also of Spanish and Italian prospero).

This is perhaps etymologically "agreeable to one's wishes," traditionally regarded as from Old Latin pro spere "according to expectation, according to one's hope," from pro "for" (see pro-) + ablative of spes "hope" (from PIE root *speh- "prosperity" (see speed (n.)). Or, if the compound is older, from Proto-Italic *pro-sparo-, from PIE *pro-speh- "to thrive," with second element from PIE *sph-ro- "thriving" (source also of Old English spōwan "to prosper;" again, see speed (n.)). The rarer transitive sense of "make to prosper, promote the success of" is from 1520s.

prostaglandin (n.)

substance found in seminal fluid, 1936, from German (1935); see prostate + gland + chemical suffix -in (2).

prostate (n.)

"the prostate gland," 1640s, from French prostate, from Medieval Latin prostata "the prostate," from Greek prostatēs (adēn) "prostate (gland)," from prostatēs "leader, ruler, guardian; one standing in front," from proistanai "set before," from pro "before" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before") + histanai "cause to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm." So called from its position at the base of the bladder and immediately in front of its mouth. Related: Prostatic.

prostatitis (n.)

"inflammation of the prostate gland," 1839 (by 1834 in German), from prostate + -itis "inflammation."

prosthesis (n.)

1550s, in grammar, "addition of a letter or syllable to a word," from Late Latin, from Greek prosthesis "a putting to, an addition," from prostithenai "add to," from pros "to" (see pros-) + tithenai "to put, to place" (from reduplicated form of PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

From 1706 in medical arts as "the addition of an artificial part to supply a defect of the body" on the notion of "that which is added to" the body. The sense was extended to "artificial body part" by 1900. Plural prostheses.

prosthetics (n.)

"the branch of surgery concerned with the replacement of missing or defective parts of the body," 1894, from prosthetic; also see -ics.

prosthetic (adj.)

1837, "exhibiting or pertaining to prosthesis in grammar;" 1902 in the surgical sense; from Latinized form of Greek prosthetikos "disposed to add," from prosthetos "added or fitted to," verbal adjective of prostithenai "to put to, add to" (see prosthesis). Related: Prosthetically.

prostitution (n.)

1530s, "act or practice of offering the body to indiscrimninate sexual intercourse for hire," from French prostitution and directly from Late Latin prostitutionem (nominative prostitutio) "prostitution," noun of action from past-participle stem of prostituere "to expose publicly to prostitution" (see prostitute (v.)). Figuratively (of abilities, etc.), "act of devoting or offering to a base or infamous use," by 1640s.

prostitute (v.)

1520s, "to offer to indiscriminate sexual intercourse" (usually in exchange for money), from Latin prostitutus, past participle of prostituere, etymologically "place before or in front," hence "expose publicly," and especially "expose to prostitution."

This is from pro "before" (see pro-) + statuere "cause to stand, establish" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm"). Related: Prostituted; prostituting. Figurative sense of "surrender to any vile or infamous purpose" (of abilities, etc.) is implied from 1570s.

prostitute (n.)

"harlot, woman who offers her body indiscriminately" (usually for money), 1610s, from Latin prostituta "prostitute," fem. of prostitutus "exposed publicly," adjectival use of past participle of prostituere "expose to prostitution; expose publicly" (see prostitute (v.)). No distinction in the use of the word was made between women who did so to gratify themselves, those who did so out of necessity, or those who were forced unwillingly to it.

It was somewhat earlier used in English as an adjective, "offered or exposed to lust" (1570s), earlier still in the figurative sense of "debased, devoted to vile or infamous purposes" (1560s).

The notion of "sex for hire" is not inherent in the etymology, which rather suggests one "exposed to lust" (by herself or another) or sex "indiscriminately offered." Descendants of the Latin word are now almost the official European term for the institution: German prostituierte, Russian prostitutka, etc.

Of men, in reference to homosexual acts, by 1886 (implied in a use of prostitution); the phrase male prostitute is attested by 1948. A Latin term for "male prostitute" was spintria, from the source of sphincter; hence Ben Jonson's spintry.

prostomium (n.)

in zoology, "the region in front of the mouth of certain invertebrates," 1866 (attested in German by 1857), Latinized form of Greek prostomion "fore-mouth, something before the mouth," from pro "before" (see pro-) + stoma "mouth" (see stoma). Related: Prostomial.

prostrate (v.)

early 15c., prostraten, "prostrate oneself, fall down flat, bow with the face to the ground" (in humility or submission), from prostrate (adj.). Transitive sense of "throw down, lay flat, overthrow" is by 1560s. Related: Prostrated; prostrating.

prostration (n.)

c. 1400, prostracioun, "action of prostrating oneself" (in humility, adoration, etc.), from Old French prostracion (14c.) and directly from Late Latin prostrationem (nominative prostratio) "an overthrowing, a subverting," noun of action from past-participle stem of prosternere "strew in front, throw down" (see prostrate (v.)); or else a native formation from prostrate (v.). Meaning "weakness, exhaustion" is from 1650s; by early 19c. also "dejection, depression of spirits."

prostrate (adj.)

mid-14c., "lying face-down, at length on the ground" (in submission, supplication, humility, worship, etc.), from Latin prostratus, past participle of prosternere "strew in front, throw down," from pro "before, forth" (see pro-) + sternere "to spread out, lay down, stretch out" (from nasalized form of PIE root *stere- "to spread"). Figurative use is from 1590s. General sense of "laid out, knocked flat" is from 1670s.

Prot (n.)

colloquial shortening of Protestant (n.), by 1725, used by Catholics, often contemptuous.

protagonist (n.)

1670s, "principal character in a story, drama, etc.," from Greek prōtagōnistēs "actor who plays the chief or first part," from prōtos "first" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "first, chief") + agōnistēs "actor, competitor," from agōn "contest" (see agony).

The general meaning "leading person in any cause or contest" is from 1889. The mistaken sense of "advocate, supporter" (1935) is from misunderstanding of Greek prōt- as Latin pro- "for." Compare antagonist. Deuteragonist "second person or actor in a drama" is attested from 1840.

pro tanto

Latin, literally "for so much; to such an extent," from pro "for, so far as" (see pro-) + ablative singular neuter of tantus "so much," from tam "so" (see tandem).

Protean (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the Greek sea-god Proteus," 1590s, from Greek Prōteus, son of Oceanus and Tethys, who could change his form at will; hence, "readily assuming different shapes, exceedingly variable." His name is literally "first," from prōtos "first" (see proto-).

protease (n.)

type of enzyme, 1898, from protein + -ase. Related: Proteolysis.

protection (n.)

mid-14c., proteccioun, "shelter, defense, that which shields from harm or injury; keeping, guardianship, act or state of protecting;" late 14c. as "that which protects," from Old French proteccion "protection, shield" (12c.) and directly from Late Latin protectionem (nominative protectio) "a covering over," noun of action from past-participle stem of protegere "protect, cover in front," from pro "before" (see pro-) + tegere "to cover" (from PIE root *(s)teg- "to cover"). A common Old English word for "protect" was beorgan.

The political economy sense of "system of fostering a country's industries by means of imposts on products of foreign competitors" is from 1789. As "a writing that guarantees the bearer safety or safe conduct" from mid-15c.; the modern underworld sense of "freedom from molestation in exchange for money" is attested from 1860. The ecological sense of "attempted preservation by laws" is from 1880 (originally of wild birds in Britain).

Also in medieval England, "the protection or maintenance of a lord or patron; sponsorship." To put (someone) out of protection meant to deprive him or her of the security of the protection of the kingdom's laws.

protect (v.)

"cover or shield from danger, harm, damage, exposure, trespass, temptation, insult, etc.," early 15c., protecten, from Latin protectus, past participle of protegere "to protect, defend, cover over, cover in front" (source also of French protéger, Old French protecter, Spanish proteger). This is from pro "before" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before") + tegere "to cover" (from PIE root *(s)teg- "to cover").

Applied with a wide range, both literal and figurative. The sense in political economy, "guard or strengthen against foreign competition by means of tariffs, etc.," is by 1789. Related: Protected; protecting.

protectant (adj.)

1660s, "protective, protecting (something) against disease," irregularly formed from protect + -ant. As a noun, "a protective substance or agent," from 1935.

protective (adj.)

"affording protection, sheltering, defensive," 1660s, from protect + -ive. As a noun from 1875. Related: Protectively; protectiveness. Protective custody is from 1936, translating German Schutzhaft, used cynically by the Nazis. The notion is "adopted or intended to afford protection."

protectionism (n.)

"doctrine or system of protection in political economy," 1846, from protectionist + -ism.

protectionist (n.)

in the economics sense of "one who favors protection of native industry or some branch of it from foreign competition by means of tariffs, etc.," 1841, from French protectionniste (in political economy sense, protection in English is attested from 1789). As an adjective by 1843.

protector (n.)

late 14c., protectour, "a defender, guardian, one who defends or shields from injury or evil," from Old French protector (14c., Modern French protecteur) and directly from Late Latin protector, agent noun from protegere (see protection). Related: Protectoral; protectorial; protectorian. Fem. forms protectrix, protectryse both attested from mid-15c. Protectee is attested from c. 1600.

In English history, "one who has care of the kingdom during the king's minority or incapacity, a regent" (as the Duke of Somerset during the reign of Edward VI); Lord Protector was the title of the head of the executive during part of the period of the Commonwealth, held by Oliver Cromwell (1653-58) and Richard Cromwell (1658-59).

protectorate (n.)

"government by a protector," 1690s, in reference to the government by the Cromwells as Lords Protector (1653-59), from protector + -ate (1). Protectorship was used in 1456 in reference to the office of the Duke of York as protector during the mental incapacity of Henry VI.

From 1795 as "occupied territory of another nation;" by 1836 as "a relation assumed by a stronger nation (generally European) toward a weak one," "whereby the former protects the latter from hostile invasion or dictation, and interferes more or less in its domestic concerns" [Century Dictionary]. Extended by 1860 to "state or territory (usually tribal) placed under the protection of a major power."

protege (n.)

"one who is under the care or protection of another," 1778, from French protégé (fem. protégée) "one who is protected," noun use of past participle of protéger "protect," from Latin protegere (see protect; also see protection). Usually in italics in English before 1820s.

protein (n.)

1844, from French protéine, coined 1838 by Dutch chemist Gerhard Johan Mulder (1802-1880), perhaps on suggestion of Berzelius, from Greek prōteios "the first quality," from prōtos "first" (see proto-) + -ine (2).

Originally a theoretical substance thought to be a constituent of food essential to life, further studies of the substances he was working with overthrew this, but the words protein and proteid continued to be used in international work on the matter and also for other organic compounds; the modern use as a general name for a class of bodies arose in German. The confusion became so great a committee was set up in 1907 to sort out the nomenclature, which it did, giving protein its modern meaning ("class of organic compounds forming an important part of all living organisms") and banishing proteid.

proteinuria

"presence of abnormal levels of protein in the urine," 1911, Modern Latin, from French protéinurie; see protein + urine + abstract noun ending -ia.

pro tem.

1828, short for pro tempore (q.v.).

pro tempore

"temporary," Latin, literally "for the time (being)," from pro "for" (see pro-) + ablative singular of tempus "time" (see temporal (adj.1)). Abbreviated form pro tem is attested by 1828.

protero-

before vowels proter-, word-forming element meaning "former, earlier," from Greek proteros "before, former, anterior," from PIE *pro-, from root *per- (1) "forward" (hence "before, first").

Proterosaurus (n.)

also Protorosaurus, extinct genus of lizard-like reptiles first found fossilized in rocks from the late Permian in Germany and Britain, 1872, from Latinized form of Greek proteros "former, earlier" (see protero-) + sauros "lizard" (see -saurus). So called because it was long the earliest known fossil reptile.

Proterozoic (adj.)

1880, in geology, in reference to the period of the earliest fossil record of life on Earth, from protero- "former, earlier" + zoic "life." Now reckoned roughly as from 2,500 million years ago to 541 million years ago.

Protestant (n., adj.)

as a noun, in the broadest sense, "member or adherent of a Christian body descended from the Reformation of the 16c. and repudiating papal authority," 1539, from German or French protestant, from Latin protestantem (nominative protestans), present participle of protestari (see protest (n.)).

Originally used of German princes and free cities who declared their dissent from ("protested") the decision of the Diet of Speyer (1529), which reversed the liberal terms allowed Lutherans in 1526.

The word was taken up by the Lutherans in Germany (Swiss and French preferred Reformed). It became the general word for "adherents of the Reformation in Germany," then "member of any Western church outside the Roman (or Greek) communion;" a sense attested in English by 1553.

Often contemptuous shortened form Prot is from 1725, in Irish English. Related: Protestancy. Protestant (work) ethic (1926) is taken from Max Weber's work "Die protestantische Ethik und der 'Geist' des Kapitalismus" (1904). Protestant Reformation attested by 1680s.

protester (n.)

also protestor, 1540s, protestour, "one who makes solemn affirmation or declaration;" agent noun from protest (v.). From 1960 as "demonstrator against or public opponent of the established order."

protestation (n.)

mid-14c., protestacioun, "affirmation;" late 14c., "avowal, a solemn or formal declaration or assertion," from Old French protestacion "protest, protestation" (13c.) and directly from Late Latin protestationem (nominative protestatio) "a declaration, protestation," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin protestari "declare publicly, testify, protest" (see protest (n.)). By 1640s as "solemn or formal declaration of dissent."

protestant (adj.)

"protesting, making a protest," by 1844, from French or directly from Latin protestantem, present participle of protestari "declare publicly, testify, protest" (see protest (n.)). Usually distinguished by pronunciation, if it is used at all, from Protestant.

protest (n.)

c. 1400, "avowal, pledge, solemn declaration," from Old French protest, from protester, from Latin protestari "declare publicly, testify, protest," from pro- "forth, before" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before") + testari "testify," from testis "witness" (see testament).

Meaning "statement of disapproval" is recorded by 1751. By late 19c. this was mostly restricted to "a solemn or formal declaration against some act or course of action."

The adjectival sense of "expressing of dissent from, or rejection of, prevailing social, political, or cultural mores" is by 1942, in reference to U.S. civil rights movement (in protest march); protest rally from 1960. Protest vote, "vote cast to demonstrate dissatisfaction with the choice of candidates or the current system," is by 1905 (in reference to Socialist Party candidates).

protest (v.)

mid-15c., protesten, "to declare or state formally or solemnly, bear witness or testimony to," from Old French protester and directly from Latin protestari "declare publicly, testify, protest" (see protest (n.)). Original sense preserved in to protest one's innocence. The meaning "make a solemn or formal declaration (often in writing) in condemnation of an act or measure, proposed or accomplished," is from c. 1600. The word's association with marches and rallies arose in 20c. Related: Protested; protesting.

Protestantism (n.)

"state of being a Protestant; religious principles of Protestants," 1640s, from French protestantisme or else formed from Protestant + -ism. Meaning "Protestant Christians or churches" is from 1660s.

Proteus

c. 1400, Protheus, from Old French, ultimately from Greek Proteus, the name of the mythological sea-god who had the power of assuming different shapes at will (see Protean).

prothalamion (n.)

"song sung before a wedding, piece written to celebrate a marriage," 1590s, coined as a poem title ("Prothalamion, or a Spousall Verse") by Edmund Spenser (based on epithalamion) from Greek pro "before" (see pro-) + thalamos "bridal chamber" (see thalamus). Sometimes Latinized as prothalamium.

prothesis (n.)

a Greek word used in various senses in English; from Greek prothesis "a putting, a placing before, a placing in public," from pro "before" (see pro-) + thesis "a placing" (from reduplicated form of PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). In the ecclesiastical sense ("preparation of the eucharistic elements before the liturgy in the Greek Church") from 1670s; grammatical sense ("addition of one or more sounds or letters at the beginning of a word") is by 1870. Related: Prothetic (1835 in grammar); prothetical; prothetically.

prothonotary (n.)

also protonotary (under which spelling it appears in OED print edition), mid-15c., "principal clerk of a court," from Medieval Latin prothonotarius, from a Late Latin borrowing of Greek prōtonotarios "first scribe," originally the recorder of the court of the Byzantine empire, from prōtos "first" (see proto-) + Latin notarius (see notary). Related: Prothonotarial.

The -h- appeared in Medieval Latin, perhaps because Greek prōto- sometimes became prōth- (before an aspirated vowel); it was carried into Old French, which passed it to Middle English. Other Middle English proto- words from French also had variants in protho- (prothomartir "earliest martyr," Protheus "the god Proteus," prothogol "protocol," all 15c.), but soon it was purged from the others; prothonotary kept its perhaps through the powerful and necessary conservatism of legal language.

protist (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the Protista," one of the biological kingdoms proposed by Haeckel, including the Protozoa and Protophyta, the simplest animals and plants, 1869, from Modern Latin Protista (German Protisten, Haeckel, 1868), from Greek neuter plural of prōtistos "the very first," superlative of prōtos "first" (see proto-).

proto-

before vowels prot-, word-forming element in compounds of Greek origin meaning "first, source, parent, preceding, earliest form, original, basic," from Greek prōto-, from prōtos "first" (from PIE *pre-, from root *per- (1) "forward," hence "before, first"). It is also used in forming words in the sciences and to form compounds having historical reference (such as Proto-Indo-European).

protocol (n.)

mid-15c., prothogol, "prologue;" 1540s, prothogall, "draft of a document, minutes of a transaction or negotiation, original of any writing" (senses now obsolete), from French prothocole (c. 1200, Modern French protocole), from Medieval Latin protocollum "draft," literally "the first sheet of a volume" (on which contents and errata were written), from Greek prōtokollon "first sheet glued onto a manuscript," from prōtos "first" (see proto-) + kolla "glue," a word of uncertain origin.

The sense developed in Medieval Latin and French from "rough draft; original copy of a treaty, etc." to "official record of a transaction," to "diplomatic document" (especially one signed by friendly powers to secure certain ends by peaceful means), and finally, in French, to "formula of diplomatic etiquette." That final sense is attested in English by 1896.

The general sense of "conventional proper conduct" is recorded from 1952. "Protocols of the (Learned) Elders of Zion," Russian anti-Semitic forgery purporting to reveal Jewish plan for world domination, first was published in English 1920 under title "The Jewish Peril."

Proto-Indo-European (n.)

the hypothetical reconstructed ancestral language of the Indo-European family, by 1905. The time scale of the "language" itself is much debated, but a recent date proposed for it is about 5,500 years ago.

proto-language (n.)

"a hypothetical extinct parent language from which existing languages have descended," 1948, from proto- + language.

proton (n.)

1920 in physics sense of "sub-atomic particle with a positive charge," coined by British physicist Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) from noun use of Greek prōton, neuter of prōtos "first" (see proto-), on analogy of electron; supposedly because hydrogen (the nucleus of which, in its commonest form, consists of one proton) was hypothesized as a constituent of all the elements. The word was used earlier in embryology (1893) as a translation of German anlage ("fundamental thing") based on Aristotle's phrase he prote ousia to proton.

protoplanet (n.)

"large, diffuse cloud of matter in the orbit of a young star, regarded as the preliminary state of a planet," 1949, from proto- + planet.

protoplasm (n.)

"substance forming the essential stuff of the cells of plants and animals," 1848, from German Protoplasma (1846), used by German botanist Hugo von Mohl (1805-1872), on notion of "first-formed," from Greek prōtos "first" (see proto-) + plasma "something formed or molded" (see plasma).

The word was in Medieval Latin with a sense of "first created thing," and it might have existed in ecclesiastical Greek in a different sense. It was used 1839 by Czech physiologist Johannes Evangelista Purkinje (1787-1869) to denote the gelatinous fluid found in living tissue. The modern meaning is a refinement of this. This word prevailed, though German language purists preferred Urschleim. Related: Protoplasmal; protoplasmic.

protostar (n.)

in astronomy, "contracting mass of gas considered as an early stage in the formation of a star," by 1951, from proto- + star (n.).

prototypical (adj.)

"pertaining to a prototype, being or constituting a primary form," 1640s, from prototype + -ical. Alternative prototypal is from 1690s.

prototype (n.)

"a primitive form, original, or model after which anything is formed," c. 1600, from French prototype (16c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prototypus "original, primitive," from Greek prōtotypon "a first or primitive form," noun use of neuter singular of prōtotypos "original, primitive," from prōtos "first" (see proto-) + typos "impression, mold, pattern" (see type (n.)). In English from 1590s as prototypon.

protozoic (adj.)

1838, in geology, in reference to rocks containing fossils of the earliest life on Earth, from proto- "early, first" + Greek zoe "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + -ic. Coined by British geologist Adam Sedgwick, who wrote in 1852, "I used the word Protozoic to prevent any wrangling about the words Cambrian and Silurian" [Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London].

In zoology by 1861, "of or pertaining to the Protozoa," from Protozoa + -ic. Alternative adjectives in the biological sense include Protozoan, Protozoal.

Protozoa (n.)

"primordial or first-formed animals, cell-animals," 1828, from Modern Latin Protozoa, coined 1818 by German zoologist Georg August Goldfuss (1782-1848) from Greek prōtos "first" (see proto-) + zoia, plural of zoion "animal" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live"). Originally including sponges and corals; current sense is from 1845. Related: Protozoon (singular), also Protozoön; Protozoan.

protraction (n.)

mid-15c., protraccioun, "drawing or writing of numbers," from late Old French protraction (15c.) and directly from Late Latin protractionem (nominative protractio) "a drawing out or lengthening," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin protrahere "to draw forward, draw out, bring forth;" figuratively "bring to light, reveal, expose," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + trahere "to draw" (see tract (n.1)). Meaning "act of drawing out or prolonging" is from 1530s.

protractive (adj.)

"drawing out or lengthening in time," c. 1600, from protract (v.) + -ive.

protract (v.)

"draw out or lengthen in time," 1530s, a back-formation from protraction and in part from Latin protractus, past participle of protrahere "to draw forth, prolong." Etymologically identical with portray, which is the same Latin verb altered in passing through French. Related: Protracted; protracting. The English verb survived chiefly in the past-participle adjective.

The phrase is attested by 1832.

protractor (n.)

1610s, "one who lengthens (an action)," Modern Latin agent noun from Latin protrahere "to draw forward" (see protraction). Medieval Latin protractor meant "one who calls or drags another into court." The surveying sense of "instrument for measuring and drawing angles on paper" is recorded from 1650s. As "muscle which serves to extend a limb or member," by 1861.

protrude (v.)

1610s, "to thrust forward or onward, to drive along;" 1640s, "to cause to stick out," from Latin protrudere "thrust forward; push out," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + trudere "to thrust, push" (from PIE *treud- "to press, push, squeeze;" see threat). Intransitive meaning "jut out, bulge forth" recorded from 1620s. Related: Protruded; protruding.

protrusion (n.)

"action of protruding; state of sticking out," 1640s, from French protrusion, noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin protrudere "to push out" (see protrude), or else a similar formation in English. Meaning "that which stands out beyond something adjacent" is by 1704.