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Today it means

proviso

a condition attached to an agreement

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Where does the word "proviso" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin prōvīsō, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

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Where does the word "proviso" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin prōvīsō, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Proviso’s story begins in Medieval Latin: prōvīsō meant “provided that.” 'it being provided', from the legal phrase 'proviso quod', provided that. It reached English by 1400s as proviso. Taken from the Latin clauses of English deeds and statutes. Today, proviso means a condition attached to an agreement.

  1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval prōvīsō "provided that", 'it being provided', from the legal phrase 'proviso quod', provided that.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s proviso "condition", taken from the Latin clauses of English deeds and statutes.

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