Praytell
/ˌpreɪ ˈtɛl/noun
An informal interjection meaning “please tell me” or “go on, explain.”
Did you know?Here, “pray” has nothing to do with worship; it is an old politeness formula descended from the Latin verb meaning “to entreat” or “ask earnestly.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
precārī
“To beg, entreat, or ask earnestly”
Old French
Old French
preier
“To pray, request, or beseech”
Old English
Old English
tellan
“To tell, recount, or reckon”
Middle English
Middle English
prey telle
“Please tell; a courteous request for information”
16th–17th Century
English
pray tell
“An elegant or emphatic way to ask someone to explain”
Modern English
English
praytell
“An informal closed spelling of “pray tell,” often used humorously or theatrically”
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