Prosper
/ˈprɒs.pər/noun
To succeed, flourish, or grow strong, especially in wealth or health.
Did you know?The word goes back to Latin prosperus, tied to favorable omens and “doing well,” so prosperity originally carried the vibe of being blessed by the signs.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*speḱ-
“to observe, look at”
Latin
Latin
sperare
“to hope”
Latin
Latin
prosperus
“favorable, fortunate, successful”
Old French
Old French
prosperer
“to succeed, thrive”
Middle English
English
prosperen
“to make successful, thrive”
Modern English
English
prosper
“to succeed or flourish”
Explore more surprising origins