etymonline logo
  • Columns
  • Forum
  • Apps
  • Premium
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
logologo

Quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of English words. Scholarly, yet simple.

About

  • Who Did This
  • Sources
  • Introduction
  • Links

Support

  • Premium
  • Patreon
  • Donate with PayPal
  • Merch

Apps

Terms of ServicesPrivacy Policy
© 2001 - 2026 Douglas Harper
Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Origin and history of precaution

precaution(n.)

"previous caution, prudent foresight (to prevent mischief or secure good results); a measure taken beforehand, an act of foresight," c. 1600, from French précaution (16c.) and directly from Late Latin praecautionem (nominative praecautio) "a safeguarding," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin praecavere "to guard against beforehand," from prae "before" (see pre-) + cavere "to be one's own guard" (see caution (n.)). In mid-20c. a euphemism for "contraception." The verb meaning "to warn (someone) in advance" is from c. 1700.

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to precaution

caution(n.)

c. 1300, caucioun, "bail, guarantee, pledge," from Old French caution "security, surety" (13c.), from Latin cautionem (nominative cautio) "caution, care, foresight, precaution," noun of action from past-participle stem of cavere "to be on one's guard" (from PIE root *keu- "to see, observe, perceive").

The Latin sense re-emerged in English as "prudence in regard to danger" (1650s). The meaning "word of warning, monitory advice" is from c. 1600. The meaning "anything which excites alarm or astonishment" is U.S. slang, 1835.

precautionary(adj.)

"advising precaution, containing or expression precaution; taking precautions," 1720, from precaution + -ary.

  • precautious
  • pre-
  • *keu-
  • See All Related Words (5)
Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

More to explore

care
Old English caru, cearu "sorrow, anxiety, grief," also "burdens of mind; serious mental attention," in late Old English also "concern, anxiety caused by apprehension of evil or the weight of many burdens," from Proto-Germanic *karō "lament; grief, care" (source also of Old Saxon
guard
early 15c., "one who keeps watch, a body of soldiers," also "care, custody, guardianship," and the name of a part of a piece of armor, from French garde "guardian, warden, keeper; watching, keeping, custody," from Old French garder "to keep, maintain, preserve, protect" (see guar
blackout
The figurative sense of "loss of memory" is by 1934 (verb and noun); as "a dousing of lights as an air raid precaution,"...
provision
first often in reference to ecclesiastical appointments made before the position was vacant), from Old French provision "precaution...
providence
preparation," from Old French providence "divine providence, foresight" (12c.) and directly from Latin providentia "foresight, precaution...
countersign
A watchword used by military bodies as a precaution against an enemy or enemies....
credenza
credence, which in Middle English also meant "act or process of testing the nature or character of food before serving it as a precaution...
race
[act of running] late Old English, also rase, "a narrative, an account;" c. 1300, "an act of swift running, a hurried attack," also "a course of life or conduct, a swift current;" from Old Norse rās "a running, a rush (of water)," cognate with Old English ræs "a running, a rush,
acre
Old English æcer "tilled field, open land," from Proto-Germanic *akraz "field, pasture" (source also of Old Norse akr, Old Saxon akkar, Old Frisian ekker, Middle Dutch acker, Dutch akker, Old High German achar, German acker, Gothic akrs "field"), from PIE root *agro- "field." "[O
acer
maple tree genus name, from Latin acer, a word of uncertain origin, perhaps from PIE *ak- "be sharp" (see acro-) and so called for its pointed leaves. There seem to have been two roots for "maple" in Indo-European; cognates of this one are said to include Old High German ahorn "m

Share precaution

Page URL:
HTML Link:
APA Style:
Chicago Style:
MLA Style:
IEEE Style:
Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Trending
Dictionary entries near precaution
  • prebend
  • Precambrian
  • precarious
  • precast
  • precatory
  • precaution
  • precautionary
  • precautious
  • precede
  • precedence
  • precedent
Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.