promptitude (n.)

"promptness, readiness," mid-15c., from Late Latin promptitudo, from Latin promptus (see prompt (v.)).

Entries linking to promptitude

mid-14c., prompten, "to incite to action, urge," from the adjective or from Latin promptus, past participle of promere "to bring forth," from pro "forward" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward") + emere "to take" (from PIE root *em- "to take, distribute").

The meaning "coach (someone), assist (a learner or speaker) by suggesting something forgotten or imperfectly learned or known" is from early 15c.; specifically in the theatrical sense of "to assist a speaker with lines" by 1670s. Related: Prompted; prompting.

Trends of promptitude

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to Explore

tip

Hackwood's 1909 book "Inns, Ales and Drinking Customs of Old England," where it was said to stand for To insure promptitude...abbreviated inscription on a box placed on the sideboard in old coaching-inns, the full meaning of which was 'To Insure Promptitude...

attitude

figure in a statue or painting," via French attitude (17c.), from Italian attitudine "disposition, posture," also "aptness, promptitude...

counterfeit

c. 1300, countrefeten, "pretend to be," from countrefet (adj.), Old French contrefait "imitated" (Modern French contrefait), past participle of contrefaire "imitate," from contre- "against" (see contra-) + faire "to make, to do" (from Latin facere "to make, do," from PIE root *dh

jealous

c. 1200, gelus, later jelus, "possessive and suspicious," originally in the context of sexuality or romance (in any context from late 14c.), from Old French jalos/gelos "keen, zealous; avaricious; jealous" (12c., Modern French jaloux), from Late Latin zelosus, from zelus "zeal,"

administration

mid-14c., administracioun, "act of giving or dispensing;" late 14c., "management (of a business, property, etc.), act of administering," from Latin administrationem (nominative administratio) "aid, help, cooperation; direction, management," noun of action from past-participle ste

concord

early 14c., "agreement between persons, union in opinions or sentiment, state of mutual friendship, amiability," from Old French concorde (12c.) "concord, harmony, agreement, treaty," from Latin concordia "agreement, union," from concors (genitive concordis) "of the same mind," l

dance

c. 1300, dauncen, "move the body or feet rhythmically to music," from Old French dancier (12c., Modern French danser), which is of unknown origin, perhaps from Low Frankish *dintjan and akin to Old Frisian dintje "tremble, quiver." Through French influence in arts and society, it

spurn

Middle English spurnen, from Old English spurnan "to kick (away), strike against, drive back," as with the foot (a sense now obsolete); also "reject with disdain, scorn, despise," from Proto-Germanic *spurnon (source also of Old Saxon and Old High German spurnan, Old Frisian spur

charge

early 13c., chargen, "to load, put a burden on or in; fill with something to be retained," from Old French chargier "to load, burden, weigh down," from Late Latin carricare "to load a wagon or cart," from Latin carrus "two-wheeled wagon" (see car). The senses of "entrust," "comma

rack

c. 1300, "grating or open frame with bars or pegs upon which things are hung or placed," especially for kitchen use, possibly from Middle Dutch rec "framework," literally "something stretched out, related to recken (modern rekken) "stretch out," cognate with Old English reccan "t

Share promptitude

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/promptitude

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/promptitude">Etymology of promptitude by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of promptitude. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/promptitude

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of promptitude,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/promptitude.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of promptitude.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/promptitude. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of promptitude.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/promptitude (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on December 07, 2020

Remove ads >

Dictionary entries near promptitude

promoter

promotion

promotional

prompt

prompter

promptitude

promptness

promulgate

promulgation

pronate

pronation