prohibit

Where does the word "prohibit" come from? It comes from Latin habere, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Prohibit’s story begins in Latin: habere meant “to have, to hold.” To have, to hold, combined with pro- (forward, away). Within Latin, it grew into prohibere by ancient. To hold back, to prevent, from pro- and habere. It reached English by 1400s as prohibit. Settled as the English word for formally forbidding something. Today, prohibit means to formally forbid something, especially by law or rule.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient habere "to have, to hold", to have, to hold, combined with pro- (forward, away).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient prohibere "to hold back, to prevent", to hold back, to prevent, from pro- and habere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s prohibit "to formally forbid something", settled as the English word for formally forbidding something.