A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

premier (adj.) --- c.1470, from M.Fr. premier "first, chief," from L. primarius "of the first rank, chief" (see primary). The noun in the political sense (1711) is shortening of premier minister (1686). In U.S., premier formerly occasionally was applied to the Secretary of State (1855-c.1900).

premiere --- 1889, "first performance of a play," from Fr. première, in phrase première représentation, from fem. of O.Fr. premier "first" (see premier). The verb is recorded from 1940.

premillennial --- 1846, "before the millennium," especially in theological sense of "before the Second Coming of Christ." Premillenarian, one who believes in this, is from 1844.

premise (n.) --- c.1374, in logic, "a previous proposition from which another follows," from O.Fr. premisse, from M.L. premissa (propositio) "(the proposition) set before," fem. pp. of L. præmittere "send or put before," from præ- "before" + mittere "to send" (see mission). In legal documents it meant "matter previously stated" (1429), which in deeds or wills often was a house or building, hence extended meaning of "house or building, with grounds" (1730). The verb meaning "to state before something else" is from 1526.

premium (n.) --- 1601, "reward given for a specific act," from L. præmium "reward, profit derived from booty," from præ- "before" + emere "to buy," originally "to take" (see exempt). Insurance sense is 1661, from It. premio. Adj. sense of "superior in quality" is first attested 1928, originally in ref. to a grade of motor fuel.

premonition --- 1456, from Anglo-Fr. premunition, from L.L. præmonitionem (nom. præmonitio) "a forewarning," from L. præmonitius, pp. of præmonere "forewarn," from præ- "before" + monere "to warn" (see monitor).

prenatal --- 1826, formed in Eng. from pre- + natal (q.v.).

prentice --- c.1300, aphetic for apprentice (q.v.).

prenuptial --- 1869, from pre- + nuptial (q.v.). Prenuptial agreement first recorded 1916.

preoccupation --- 1552, "state of occupying beforehand," from L. præoccupationem (nom. præoccupatio) "a seizing beforehand, anticipation," n. of action from from præoccupare, from præ- "before" + occupare "seize" (see occupy). Meaning "mental absorption" is from 1854.

preordain --- 1533, from pre- + ordain (q.v.).

pre-owned --- 1964, Amer.Eng., from pre- + pt. of own (v.). An automobile dealer's euphemism for used.

prep --- 1862, short for preparation (q.v.). Prep school attested from 1895, short for preparatory school. First record of prep in the sense "student or graduate of a preparatory school" is from 1899. Variant form preppy is first attested 1962.

preparation --- 1390, "act of preparing," from L. præparationem (nom. præparatio) "a making ready," from præparatus, pp. of præparare "prepare," from præ- "before" + parare "make ready" (see pare). Meaning "a substance especially prepared" is from 1646. Verb prepare is attested from 1466, from M.Fr. preparer, from L. præparare; slang shortening prep is from 1927. Preparatory is first recorded 1413, from L.L. præparatorius, from L. præparatus. Applied from 1822 to junior schools in which pupils are "prepared" for a higher school.

preponderate --- 1623, "to weigh more than," from L. præponderare "outweigh," from præ- "before" + ponderare "to weigh" (see pound (n.1)). Meaning "to exceed in force or power" is from 1799. Preponderance is first recorded 1681, meaning "greater weight;" sense of "greater importance" is from 1780; that of "greater number" is from 1845.

preposition --- 1388, from L. præpositionem (nom. præpositio) "a putting before," from præpositus, pp. of præponere "put before," from præ- "before" + ponere "put, set, place" (see position). In grammatical sense, a loan-translation of Gk. prothesis, lit. "a setting before."

prepossess --- 1614, "to get possession of beforehand," from pre- + possess (q.v.). Meaning "to possess (a person) beforehand with a feeling, notion, etc." is from 1639; specifically, "to cause (someone) to have a favorable opinion of something" (1647). Prepossessing is from 1642 in sense of "causing prejudice;" opposite meaning "causing agreeable first impression" first recorded 1805.

preposterous --- c.1540, from L. præposterus "absurd, contrary to nature," lit. "before-behind" (cf. topsy-turvy, cart before the horse), from præ "before" + posterus "subsequent."

preppie (n.) --- see prep

prepubescent --- 1904, from pre- + pubescent (see puberty).

prepuce --- c.1400, from O.Fr. prepuce, from L. præputium "foreskin," possibly from præ- "before" + *putos "penis."

prequel --- 1973, from pre-, based on sequel (q.v.).

Pre-Raphaelite --- c.1848, the "brotherhood" (founded 1847) of Holman Hunt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, and others who, encouraged by Ruskin, sought to revive the naturalistic spirit of art in the age before Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520).

pre-record (v.) --- 1937, from pre- + record (v.).

prerequisite --- 1633 (n.), 1651 (adj.), "required beforehand," from pre- + requisite (q.v.).

prerogative --- 1387 (in Anglo-L. from 1293), from O.Fr. prerogative (14c.), M.L. prerogativa "special right," from L. prærogativa "prerogative, previous choice or election," originally (with tribus, centuria) "unit of 100 voters who by lot voted first in the Roman comita," prop. fem. of prærogativus (adj.) "chosen to vote first," from prærogere "ask before others," from præ- "before" + rogare "to ask" (see rogation).

presage --- 1390 (n.) "something that portends," from L. præsagium "a foreboding," from præsagire "to perceive beforehand, forebode," from præsagus "foreboding," from præ- "before" + sagus "prophetic," related to sagire "perceive" (see sagacious). The verb is first attested 1562, from M.Fr. présager (16c.), from présage "omen," from L. præsagium.

Presbyterian --- 1640, as name of Scottish church governed by elders (as opposed to bishops), from presbyter "an elder in a church" (1597), from L.L. presbyter "an elder," from Gk. presbyteros "an elder," also an adj. meaning "older," comparative of presbys "old," possibly originally "one who leads the cattle," from *pres- "before" + root of bous "cow." Presbytery "a part of a church reserved for the clergy" is recorded from 1412. Meaning "body of elders in the Presbyterian system" is recorded from 1578.

preschool --- 1924 (adj.), from pre- + school (q.v.); the noun is 1934.

prescience --- c.1374, from L.L. præscientia "fore-knowledge," from *præscientem, prp. of *præscire "to know in advance," from L. præ- "before" + scire "to know" (see science).

prescription --- c.1380, "the right to something through long use," from O.Fr. prescription (13c.), from L. præscriptionem (nom. præscriptio) "a writing before, order, direction," from præscriptus, pp. of præscribere "write before," from præ- "before" + scribere "to write" (see script). Medical sense of "written directions from a doctor" first recorded 1579. Prescribe "to write down as a direction" is from 1535.

presence --- c.1330, "fact of being present," from O.Fr. presence (12c.), from L. præsentia "a being present," from præsentem (see present (n.)). Meaning "carriage, demeanor, aspect" (especially if impressive) is from 1579; that of "divine, spiritual or incorporeal being felt as present" is from 1667. Presence of mind (1665) is a loan-transl. of Fr. présence d'esprit, L. præsentia animi.

present (adj.) --- c.1303, "existing at the time," from O.Fr. present (11c.), from L. præsentem (nom. præsens) "present, immediate, prompt," from prp. of præesse "be before (someone or something), be at hand," from præ- "before" + esse "to be." Meaning "being there" is from 1340. As a grammatical tense, recorded from 1388. Presently is c.1380 as "immediately," but by 1566 it had relaxed into "sooner or later." Present-day "contemporary" is attested from 1887.

present (n.) --- c.1225, "thing offered, gift," from O.Fr. present, in phrases en present "(to offer) in the presence of," mettre en present "place before, give," from L.L. inpraesent "face to face," from L. in re præsenti "in the situation in question," from præsens "being there" (see present (adj.)), on the notion of "bringing something into someone's presence." Meaning "this point in time" (opposed to past and future) is attested from c.1500.

present (v.) --- c.1290, "to bring into the presence of," from O.Fr. presenter, from L. præsentare "to place before, show, exhibit," from præsens (see present (adj.)). Meaning "to give as a gift" first recorded c.1235. Presentable "suitable in appearance" is first attested 1800.

presentation --- c.1380, "act of presenting," from O.Fr. presentation (13c.), from L. præsentationem (nom. præsentatio) "a placing before," from præsentatus, pp. of præsentare (see present (v.)). Meaning "a theatrical or other representation, thing presented" is recorded from 1600.

presentiment --- 1714, from Fr. presentiment, from M.Fr. pressentir "to have foreboding," from L. præsentire "to sense beforehand," from præ "before" + sentire "perceive, feel" (see sentient).

preserve (v.) --- 1375, from O.Fr. preserver, from M.L. preservare "keep, preserve," from L.L. præservare "guard beforehand," from L. præ- "before" + servare "to keep safe" (see observe). The noun sense of "fruit preserved with sugar" is from 1600; that of "protected place for animals or plants" (a sense more properly belonging to conserve) is from 1807. Preservationist "advocate of protecting historic property" is recorded from 1927. Preservative (adj.) is attested from 1398; the noun sense of "chemical added to foods to keep them from rotting" is from 1875.

preside --- 1611, from Fr. présider "preside over, govern" (15c.), from L. præsidere "stand guard, superintend," lit. "sit in front of," from præ- "before" + sedere "to sit" (see sedentary).

president --- c.1375, "appointed governor of a province, chosen leader of a body of persons," from L. præsidentum (nom. præsidens) "president, governor," noun use of prp. of præsidere "to act as head or chief" (see preside). First use for "chief executive officer of a republic" is in U.S. Constitution (1787), from earlier use for "officer in charge of the Continental Congress" (1774); it had been used of chief officers of banks from 1781, of individual colonies since 1608 (originally Virginia) and heads of colleges since 1464. Slang shortening prez is recorded from 1892.

presidio --- 1808, Amer.Eng., from Sp., "fort, settlement," from L. præsidium, from præsidere "to sit before, protect" (see preside).

presidium --- permanent administrative committee of the U.S.S.R., 1924, from Rus. prezidium, from L. præsidium "a presiding over, defense," from præsidere (see preside).

press (n.) --- crowd, multitude, c.1225, from O.Fr. presse (11c.), from L. pressare (see press (v.1)). Sense of "to urge, compel, force" (now mostly in adj. pressing, 1705) is recorded from 1390. Basketball defense so called from 1961. Meaning "machine for squeezing" (e.g. winepress) is recorded from 1362, from M.Fr. presse. Specific sense "machine for printing" is from 1535; extended to publishing houses by 1579 and to publishing generally (in phrases like freedom of the press) c.1680. This gradually shifted c.1800-1820 to "periodical publishing, journalism." Meaning "journalists collectively" is attested from 1926. Press agent is from 1883; press conference is attested from 1937, though the thing itself dates to at least World War I. Press secretary is recorded from 1959.

press (v.1) --- push against, c.1300, from O.Fr. preser (13c.), from L. pressare "to press," frequentative of pressus, p.p. of premere "to press, hold fast, cover, crowd, compress," from PIE *prem-/*pres- "to strike." Weight-lifting sense is attested from 1908.

press (v.2) --- force into service, 1578, alteration (by association with press (v.1)) of prest (c.1360) "engage by loan, pay in advance," especially money paid to a soldier or sailor on enlisting, from L. præstare "to provide," from præ- "before" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Related to præsto (adv.) "ready, available."

pressure (n.) --- 1382, "act or fact of pressing on the mind or heart," from O.Fr. pressure (12c.), from L. pressura "action of pressing," from pressus, pp. of premere "to press" (see press (v.1)). Literal meaning "act or fact of pressing" in a physical sense is attested from 1601. Scientific sense in physics is from 1660. The verb meaning "to exert pressure on" is attested from 1939, Amer.Eng. Pressure cooker is attested from 1915; fig. sense is from 1958.

Prester John --- c.1300, Prestre Johan, legendary medieval Christian king and priest, said to have ruled either in the Far East or Ethiopia. From V.L. *prester, a transition between L. presbyter and Eng. priest. First mentioned in the West by mid-12c. chronicler Otto of Freising, who told how Johannes Presbyter won a great victory over the Persians and the Medes. Between 1165 and 1177 a forged letter purporting to be from him circulated in Europe. Reflects the time when the Christian West was culturally backwards and militarily threatened, dreaming of a mythical deliverer. Cf. O.Fr. prestre Jehan (13c.), It. prete Gianni.

prestidigitator --- 1843, from Fr. prestidigitateur, coined 1830 by Jules de Rovère (who sought a new word, "qui s'accorderait mieux à ses nobles origines" to replace escamoteur and physicien), roughly based on L. præstigiator "juggler" (see prestigious); infl. by It. presto "quick," a conjuror's word (see presto), and by L. digitus "finger" (see digit).

prestigious --- 1546, "practicing illusion or magic, deceptive," from L. præstigious "full of tricks," from præstigiæ "juggler's tricks," probably altered by dissimilation from præstringere "to blind, blindfold, dazzle," from præ- "before" + stringere "to tie or bind" (see strain (v.)). Prestige is from 1656, from Fr. prestige "an illusion" (16c.). These words were derogatory until 19c.; prestige in the sense of "dazzling influence" was first applied 1815, to Napoleon. Prestigious with this sense is attested from 1913.

presto --- 1598, "quickly," used by conjurers, etc., from It. presto "quick, quickly" in conjuror's patter, from L. præstus "ready," præsto (adv.) "ready, available," from præ "before" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Cf. L. præsto esse "to be at hand, be ready," source of Fr. prêt "ready." As a musical direction, it is a separate borrowing from It., first recorded 1683.

presume --- 1375, "to take upon oneself, to take liberty," also "to take for granted, presuppose" (1377), from O.Fr. presumer (12c.), from L. præsumere (see presumption). Presumptive is recorded from 1561. The heir presumptive (1628) is "presumed" to be the heir if the heir apparent is unavailable.

presumption --- c.1225, "seizure and occupation without right," also "taking upon oneself more than is warranted," from L.L. præsumptionem "confidence, audacity," in classical L., "a taking for granted, anticipation," from præsumere "to take beforehand," from præ "before" + sumere "to take." In Eng., the meaning "the taking of something for granted" is attested from c.1300. Presumptuous (c.1350) preserves the original sense, from O.Fr. presuntuex (12c.), from L.L. præsumptuosus (5c.), from L. præsumptionem.

presuppose --- 1426, from O.Fr. presupposer (14c.), from M.L. præsupponere; see pre- + suppose.

pret a porter --- 1957, from Fr. prêt à porter, lit. "ready-to-wear." Porter is lit. "to carry," from L. portare "to carry" (see port (1)). For a similar sense evolution, cf. Ger. kleider tragen.

pre-teen --- 1960, from pre- + teen (q.v.).

pretend --- c.1380, "to profess or claim," from O.Fr. pretendre "to lay claim," from L. prætendere "stretch in front, put forward, allege," from præ- "before" + tendere "to stretch," from PIE base *ten- "to stretch" (see tend). Main modern sense of "feign, put forward a false claim" is recorded from 1412; the older sense of simply "to claim" is behind the string of royal pretenders (1697) in Eng. history. Meaning "to play, make believe" is recorded from 1865.

pretense --- 1425, "the putting forth of a claim," from M.Fr. pretensse, from fem. of L.L. prætensus, from L. prætensus, pp. of prætendere (see pretend). Meaning "false or hypocritical profession" is from 1545. Pretension is c.1600 meaning "assertion;" sense of "ostentation" is from 1727.

pretentious --- 1845, from Fr. prétentieux (17c.), from prétention "pretension," from M.L. pretentionem (nom. pretentio) "pretension," from L.L. prætensus "pretend" (see pretense).

preterite --- 1340, from O.Fr. preterit (13c.), from L. præteritum (as in tempus præteritum "time past"), pp. of præterire "to go by, go past," from præter "beyond, before, above, more than" (comp. of præ "before") + itum, pp. of ire "to go."

preternatural --- 1580, from M.L. preternaturalis (c.1255), from L. phrase præter naturam (præterque fatum) "beyond nature (and beyond fate)," from præter "beyond" (see preterite) + acc. of natura "nature" (see natural).

pretext --- 1513, from L. prætextum "a pretext," originally neuter pp. of prætexere "to disguise, cover," from præ- "in front" + texere "to weave" (cf. pull the wool over someone's eyes); from PIE base *tek- "make" (see texture).

pretrial --- preliminary hearing before a trial, 1938, Amer.Eng., from pre- + trial.

pretty --- O.E. prættig (W.Saxon), *prettig (Mercian) "cunning, skillful, artful," from prætt, *prett "a trick, wile, craft," from W.Gmc. *pratt- (cf. O.N. prettr "a trick," prettugr "tricky;" Fris. pret, M.Du. perte, Du. pret "trick, joke," Du. prettig "sportive, funny," Flem. pertig "brisk, clever"). Connection between O.E. and M.E. words is uncertain, but if they are the same, meaning had shifted by c.1400 to "manly, gallant," and later moved via "attractive, skillfully made," to "fine," to "beautiful in a slight way" (1440). For sense evolution, compare nice, silly. Used to qualify adjectives and adverbs ("moderately") since 1565. As a verb (usually with up) it is attested from 1916. Prettily is from c.1400; prettify first recorded 1850. Pretty-boy is attested from 1885. A pretty penny "lot of money" is first recorded 1768.

pretzel --- 1856, from Ger. Prezel, also Brezel, from O.H.G. brezitella, from M.L. *brachitellum, presumably a kind of biscuit baked in the shape of folded arms (cf. It. bracciatella, O.Prov. brassadel), dim. of L. bracchiatus "with branches, with arms," from L. bracchium "arm" (see brace).

prevail --- 1398, from L. prævalere "have greater power," from præ "before" + valere "have power, be strong" (see valiant).

prevalent --- 1576, "having great power or force," from L. prævalentem (nom. prævalens), prp. of prævalere "to be more able" (see prevail). Meaning "extensively existing, in general use" is from 1658.

prevarication --- 1382, "divergence from a right course, transgression," from O.Fr. prevaricacion (12c.), from L. prævaricationem (nom. prævaricatio) "a stepping out of line (of duty or behavior)," from prævaricatus, pp. of prævaricari "to make a sham accusation, deviate," lit. "walk crookedly," from præ "before" + varicare "to straddle," from varicus "straddling," from varus "bowlegged, knock-kneed." Meaning "evasion, quibbling" is attested from 1655.

prevent --- 1432, "to act in anticipation of," from L. præventus, pp. of prævenire "come before, anticipate, hinder," in L.L. also "to prevent," from præ "before" + venire "to come" (see venue). Originally literal; sense of "anticipate to hinder" was in L., but not recorded in Eng. until 1560. Preventive in the medical sense is recorded from 1646.

preview (v.) --- 1607, "to see beforehand," from pre- + view (q.v.). The noun in the sense of "a foretaste" is recorded from 1882, from the verb; specifically "a showing of a book, film, etc. before public release" from 1922.

previous --- 1625, from L. prævius "going before," from præ "before" + via "road" (see via).

prexy --- 1871, slang (headlinese) contraction of president. Alternate form prex is attested from 1828.

prey (n.) --- 1240, "animal hunted for food," from O.Fr. preie "booty, animal taken in the chase" (1140), from L. præda "booty, plunder, game hunted," earlier præheda, related to prehendere "to grasp, seize" (see prehensile). The verb meaning "to plunder, pillage, ravage" is attested from 1297, from O.Fr. preer, earlier preder (c.1040), from L.L. prædare. Its sense of "to kill and devour" is attested from c.1340.

priapic --- phallic, 1786, from Priapus, from Gk. Priapos, son of Dionysus and Aphrodite, the god who personified male reproductive power. His name is of unknown origin. Hence priapism (1598) "persistent erection of the penis."

price --- c.1225, pris, from O.Fr. pris "price, value, wages, reward," also "honor, praise, prize" (Fr. prix), from L.L. precium, from L. pretium "reward, prize, value, worth," from PIE *preti- "back," on notion of "recompense" (cf. Skt. aprata "without recompense, gratuitously," Gk. protei "toward, to, upon," Lett. pret "opposite," O.C.S. protivu "in opposition to, against"). Praise, price, and prize began to diverge in O.Fr., with praise emerging in M.E. by 1325 and prize being evident by late 1500s with the rise of the -z- spelling. Having shed the extra O.Fr. and M.E. senses, the word now again has the base sense of the L. original. The verb meaning "to set the price of" is attested from c.1382. Priceless (1593) logically ought to mean the same as worthless, but it doesn't. Price-tag is recorded from 1881. Pricey "expensive" first attested 1932.

prick --- O.E. prica (n.) "point, puncture, particle;" prician (v.) "to prick," from W.Gmc. *prikojanan (cf. Low Ger. pricken, Du. prikken "to prick"); Dan. prikke "to mark with dots," Swed. pricka "to point, prick, mark with dots" are probably from Low German. Meaning "pointed weapon, dagger" is first attested 1552. Earliest recorded use for "penis" is 1592. My prick was used 16c.-17c. as a term of endearment by "immodest maids" for their boyfriends. As a term of abuse, it is attested from 1929. To prick up one's ears is 1587, originally of animals with pointed ears (prycke-eared, of foxes, is from 1523). To kick against the pricks (Acts ix.5, first in a translation of 1382) is probably from sense of "a goad for oxen" (c.1350).

prickle --- O.E. pricel "thing to prick with," from the same source as O.E. prician (see prick) with W.Gmc. instrumental suffix *-islja (cf. M.L.G. prickel, Du. prikkel). Prickly "spiny, armed with prickles" is from 1578 (originally of holly leaves); fig. sense of "irritable" first recorded 1862. Prickly heat is from 1736, so called for the sensation; prickly pear is from 1760.

pride --- O.E. pryto, from prud (see proud). First applied to groups of lions 1486, but not commonly so used until c.1930. The verb in the reflexive sense "congratulate oneself" is recorded from 1275.

priest --- O.E. preost, shortened from the older Gmc. form represented by O.S., O.H.G. prestar, O.Fris. prestere, from V.L. *prester "priest," from L.L. presbyter "presbyter, elder," from Gk. presbyteros (see Presbyterian). In O.T. sense, a transl. of Heb. kohen, Gk. hiereus, L. sacerdos. Priesthood is O.E. preosthad. Priestcraft originally was "the business of being a priest" (1483); after rise of Protestantism and the Enlightenment, it acquired a pejorative sense of "arts of ambitious priests for temporal power and social control" (1681).

prig --- 1753, "precisian in speech or manners," of unknown origin; earlier "dandy, fop" (1676), "thief" (1610, in form prigger recorded from 1561), also a thieves' cant word for "a tinker" (1567), though connection of this with the other meaning is uncertain.

prim --- 1684 (v.) "to assume a formal, precise demeanor," probably from Fr. prim "thin, small, delicate," from O.Fr. prim "fine, delicate," from L. primus "first, finest" (see prime). Attested as a noun from 1700. The adj., the sole surviving sense, is from 1709. A cant word at first; the noun sense may be the original.