proviso (n.)

"a clause making what precedes conditional on what follows, a stipulation, a special exception to the general terms of a legislative act," mid-15c., from Medieval Latin proviso (quod) "provided (that)," the original Latin wording of the usual phrase at the beginning of clauses in legal documents (mid-14c.), from Latin proviso "it being provided," ablative neuter of provisus, past participle of providere (see provide). Related: Provisory.

also from mid-15c.

Entries linking to proviso

provide (v.)

early 15c., providen, "make provision for the future; arrange, plan; take care, relieve of needs, supply the needs of," from Latin providere "look ahead, prepare, supply, act with foresight," from pro "ahead" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward") + videre "to see" (from PIE root *weid- "to see"). Related: Provided; providing; providance ("act or condition of providing," by 1740). Earlier in same sense was its doublet purvey, which is from the same Latin verb, deformed in Old French (pourvoir).

No memory of having starred

Atones for later disregard,

Or keeps the end from being hard.

Better to go down dignified

With boughten friendship at your side

Than none at all. Provide, provide!

[Robert Frost, from "Provide, Provide"]

Trends of proviso

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to Explore

provision

late 14c., provisioun, "foresight, prudence, care;" also "a providing beforehand, action of arranging in advance" (at first often in reference to ecclesiastical appointments made before the position was vacant), from Old French provision "precaution, care" (early 14c.), from Lati

clause

Legal meaning "distinct condition, stipulation, or proviso" is recorded from late 14c. in English....

canoodle

[North Carolina Times (Raleigh), July 1, 1848, in reference to the sectional wrangling over the Wilmot Proviso.]...

stipulation

1550s, "a commitment or activity to do something" (now obsolete), from Latin stipulationem (nominative stipulatio), "a promise, bargain, covenant," noun of action from past-participle stem of stipulari "exact a promise, engage, bargain," a word of uncertain origin. It is traditio

condition

mid-14c., condicioun, "particular mode of being of a person or thing," also "a requisite or prerequisite, a stipulation," from Old French condicion "stipulation; state; behavior; social status" (12c., Modern French condition), from Medieval Latin conditionem (nominative conditio)

pivot

"pin on which a wheel or other object turns," 1610s, from French pivot, from Old French pivot "hinge pin, pivot" (12c.), also "penis," a word of uncertain origin. Pevetsheres, evidently some kind of shears, is mentioned in a will registered in York in 1398. Figurative sense of "t

freedom

Old English freodom "power of self-determination, state of free will; emancipation from slavery, deliverance;" see free (adj.) + -dom. Meaning "exemption from arbitrary or despotic control, civil liberty" is from late 14c. Meaning "possession of particular privileges" is from 157

peace

mid-12c., pes, "freedom from civil disorder, internal peace of a nation," from Anglo-French pes, Old French pais "peace, reconciliation, silence, permission" (11c., Modern French paix), from Latin pacem (nominative pax) "compact, agreement, treaty of peace, tranquility, absence o

gravity

c. 1500, "weight, dignity, seriousness, solemnity of deportment or character, importance," from Old French gravité "seriousness, thoughtfulness" (13c.) and directly from Latin gravitatem (nominative gravitas) "weight, heaviness, pressure," from gravis "heavy" (from PIE root *gwer

apprehension

late 14c., "perception, comprehension," from Old French apreension "comprehension, something learned" or directly from Latin apprehensionem (nominative apprehensio) "a seizing upon, laying hold of; understanding," noun of action from past-participle stem of apprehendere "take hol

Share proviso

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/proviso

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/proviso">Etymology of proviso by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of proviso. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/proviso

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of proviso,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/proviso.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of proviso.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/proviso. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of proviso.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/proviso (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on December 28, 2020

Remove ads >

Dictionary entries near proviso

provinciality

provision

provisional

provisioner

provisions

proviso

provocate

provocateur

provocation

provocative

provoke