aprimorate

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*preh₂-“before; in front”
2. Latin · derived fromprīmōris“first”
3. English todayaprimorate

PIE word *h₂éd From Portuguese aprimorar + -ate (verb-forming suffix), as a mistranslation by Portuguese speakers. The earliest known use is in a 1988 Brazilian thesis (see the quotation), although it has likely been re-formed independently on multiple occasions. Aprimorar is derived from a- (causal prefix) + primor (“excellence; perfection”, from Latin prīmōris (“first”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before; in front”)) + -ar (impersonal infinitive suffix). The alternative spelling apprimorate is likely due to its resemblance to other Latinate verbs such as approve.

Words from the same roots