Etymology

progress

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Today it means: Movement or advancement through a series of events, or points in time; development through time. Full definition →

First used 15th c.Middle English progresse ← Old French progres ← Latin prōgressus
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progress · noun1

  1. Latin · derived fromprōgressus“an advance”
  2. Old French · derived fromprogres“a going forward”
  3. Middle English · inherited fromprogresse
  4. English todayprogress

From Middle English progresse, from Old French progres (“a going forward”), from Latin prōgressus (“an advance”), from the participle stem of prōgredī (“to go forward, advance, develop”), from pro- (“forth, before”) + gradi (“to walk, go”). Displaced native Old English forþgang.

progress · verb2

From the noun. Lapsed into disuse in the 17th century, except in the US. Considered an Americanism on reintroduction to use in the UK.

Progress · noun3

  1. Russian · borrowed fromПрогресс
  2. English todayProgress

Borrowed from Russian Прогресс (Progress), from прогресс (progress).

First known use, by meaning

  • from 15th c. Movement or advancement through a series of events, or points in time; development through time.
  • from 15th c. Specifically, advancement to a higher or more developed state; development, growth.
  • from 15th c. An official journey made by a monarch or other high personage; a state journey, a circuit.
  • from 15th c. A journey forward; travel.
  • from 16th c. Movement onwards, forwards, or towards a specific objective or direction; advance.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.