Prevail
/prɪˈveɪl/noun
To prove more powerful than an opponent or obstacle; to succeed.
Did you know?Prevail comes from Latin *praevalēre*, literally “to be stronger before/over,” and its root *val-* also lives in words like *valiant* and *value*—a hidden language of strength and worth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wal-
“to be strong, to be powerful”
Latin
Latin
praevalēre
“to be stronger than, have greater force than”
Late Latin
Latin
praevalēre
“to outweigh, surpass, prevail”
Old French
Old French
prevailir
“to overcome, be superior”
Middle English
English
prevaylen
“to prove stronger, succeed”
Modern English
English
prevail
“to be victorious, to succeed or triumph over opposition”
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