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Where does the word "proxy" come from? It comes from Latin procuratio, passing through Anglo-French before entering English (1400s).
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Where does the word "proxy" come from? It comes from Latin procuratio, passing through Anglo-French before entering English (1400s).
Proxy’s story begins in Latin: procuratio meant “management.” From 'procurare', to take care of. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Anglo-French as procuracie. An Anglo-French contraction. It reached English by 1400s as proxy. 'proxy war' dates from the 1950s. Today, proxy means the authority to act for another.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient procuratio "management", from 'procurare', to take care of.
- Stage 2 · Anglo-French · medieval procuracie "power of attorney", an Anglo-French contraction.
- Stage 3 · English · 1400s proxy "agent", 'proxy war' dates from the 1950s.