Etymograph

English

privation

Privation comes from Latin prīvātiō ‘privation, deprivation’, from prīvus ‘single’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-1reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*prei1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*preiwos1‘separate’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprīvus1‘single’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprīvō2‘to bereave, deprive, rob or strip of something’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprīvātiō3‘privation, deprivation’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400privacion3
  8. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600privation3
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500privacioun3
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1820privation3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin privo
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin privatio
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English privation
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1820, Geoffrey Crayon pseudonym; Washington Ir, Traits of Indian Character: “His [the Native American's] nature is stern, simple and…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-Wiktionary, Latin privoreconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*preiWiktionary, Latin privoreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*preiwosWiktionary, Latin privo‘separate’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprīvusWiktionary, Latin privo‘single’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprīvōWiktionary, Latin privatio‘to bereave, deprive, rob or strip of something’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprīvātiōWiktionary, English privation‘privation, deprivation’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400privacionWiktionary, English privation
  8. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600privationWiktionary, English privation
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500privaciounWiktionary, English privation
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1820privationWiktionary, English privation. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1820, Geoffrey Crayon pseudonym; Washington Ir, Traits of Indian Character: “His [the Native American's] nature is stern, simple and…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per-

first, before, support, far, per, report, further, press, fear, opportunity, price, practice, port, pre, afford, primary, ford, appreciate, prime, forth, pregnant, prior, prize, practical, parade, par, praise, ferry, precious, fare, porch, pirate, interpretation, pardon, interpreter, afar, prix, pore, petra, peril, 154 more

through Latin prīvus ‘single’

privilege, 3 more

through Latin prīvō ‘to bereave, deprive, rob or strip of something’

privy, 3 more

Today it means

noun The state of being deprived of or lacking an attribute formerly or properly possessed; the loss or absence of such an attribute.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “privation”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin privo, Latin privatio. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / privation

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