Etymology Map
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Prince

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means the son of a king or queen; a ruler of a principality

Where does the word "prince" come from? It comes from Latin princeps, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
princeps
Latin · ancient
"first citizen, leader"
from 'primus', first, and 'capere', to take; Augustus used it as a modest-sounding title
2
Stage 2 of 3
prince
Old French · medieval
"ruler, sovereign"
applied to any sovereign ruler, not just a king's son
3
Stage 3 of 3
prince
English · 1200s
"a monarch's son"
gradually narrowed to the son of a monarch
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Read the full story

Prince’s story begins in Latin: princeps meant “first citizen, leader.” From 'primus', first, and 'capere', to take; Augustus used it as a modest-sounding title. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as prince. Applied to any sovereign ruler, not just a king's son. It reached English by 1200s as prince. Gradually narrowed to the son of a monarch. Today, prince means the son of a king or queen; a ruler of a principality.