pro-, por-, pur-

1. A natural inclination or tendency to behave in a certain way: According to her sister, Sharon had a propensity to talk too much.
2. Etymology: "a disposition to favor", from propense, "inclined, prone" (1528), from Latin propendere, "to incline to, to hang forward, to weigh over"; from pro-, "forward" + pendere, "to hang". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

Individuals who advocate for or argue in favor of doing something: Councilor Jackson and Mayor Evans are both proponents of safe waste disposal in the city. © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. To seek to enforce or to obtain by a legal process.
2. To conduct criminal proceedings in court against someone: "After using other people's credit card information to illegally get money from their accounts, Bernardo was prosecuted for robbery."
3. To follow up or carry something forward which was undertaken or started, usually to its completion: "The general wanted to prosecute the war until victory was achieved."
4. To carry on, or to practice, something with the idea of completing it.
5. To continue doing something, usually until it is finished or accomplished.
6. Etymology: from Latin prosecutus, past participle of prosequi, "follow after"; from pro-, "before, forward, forth" and sequi, "to follow".

1. The institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior.
2. The lawyers acting for a state to put a legal case against a defendant.
3. The continuance, or following up, of something begun with a view to its completion.

1. A person, as a complainant or chief witness, instigating prosecution in a criminal proceeding.
2. A government attorney who initiates and carries out a legal action; especially, criminal proceedings.

The forebrain or anterior brain vesicle of the embryo that subdivides into telencephalon and diencephalon.

From it are derived the cerebral hemispheres, olfactory lobes, corpus striatum, and various parts of the thalamus; as well, as the third and the lateral ventricles.

A word that can substitute for a verb; its function is similar to that of a pronoun.

In the following sentence, the word do acts as a pro-verb: Our neighbors never mow their lawn, but we do.

Capable of being made available or extended as support: Supplementary teaching aids are providable to the members of the staff when ordered in time.

1. To supply someone with something, or be a source of things that are needed or wanted by someone.
2. To require something in advance as a condition or as part of a contract.
3. To take precautions to prevent harm or to bring about good; such as, to provide against a potential disaster.
4. To supply the material means of support for someone: "She provides for her children by working at two jobs."
5. Etymology: from Latin providere, "to look ahead, to see ahead, to prepare in advance, to supply"; literally, "to see ahead"; from pro-, "ahead" + videre, "to see".

1. The wisdom, care, and guidance believed to be provided by God.
2. God perceived as a caring force guiding humankind>
3. Good judgment and foresight in the management of one's affairs or resources.
4. Etymology: "foresight, prudent anticipation", from Old French providence in about the 12th century; from Latin providentia, "foresight, precaution"; from providentem, providens, providere; from pro-, "ahead" + videre, "to see" .