prime

prime · adjective, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*per-“beyond, before”
2. Proto-Italic · derived from*priisemos
3. Latin · derived fromprīmus“first”
4. Old French · derived fromprime
5. Middle English · inherited fromprime
6. English todayprime

From Middle English prime, from Old French prime and its etymon, Latin prīmus (“first”), from earlier prīsmos < *prīsemos < Proto-Italic *priisemos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“beyond, before”). Doublet of primo and primus. The noun sense "apostrophe-like symbol" originates from the fact that the symbol ′ was originally a superscript Roman numeral one.

prime · verb²

Related to primage and Latin prīmus.

prime · noun³

1. French · derived fromprime“reward, prize, bonus”
2. English todayprime

From French prime (“reward, prize, bonus”).

Words from the same roots