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"president" in seven languages

Meaningpresident

Spanish

presidente

/pɾesiˈdente/

masc.learned

Feminine presidenta, now standard.

French

président

/pʁezidɑ̃/

masc.learned

Feminine présidente.

Italian

presidente

/preziˈdɛnte/

masc.learned

Also used for women (la presidente); presidentessa is dated.

Portuguese

presidente

/pɾeziˈdẽtʃi/

masc.learned

Feminine presidenta is also in use.

Romanian

președinte

/preʃeˈdinte/

masc.learned

The Latin word was reshaped after the native verb ședea 'to sit' (SEDĒRE).

Catalan

president

/pɾəziˈden/

masc.learned

Feminine presidenta.

English

president

/ˈpɹɛzɪdənt/

from Latin/French · Old French president, from Latin

English → ItalianpresidentpresidenteCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

PRAESIDENTEM‘presiding (from PRAE 'in front' + SEDĒRE 'to sit')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

The president is the one who 'sits in front' of the assembly. Spanish has a plain s, French and Italian voice it to z between vowels.

English relatives: preside, sit, session, reside

Sound laws at work

French vowel + nasal becomes a nasal vowel

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In a sentence

  • esEl presidente dio un discurso.
  • frLe président a fait un discours.
  • itIl presidente ha fatto un discorso.
  • ptO presidente fez um discurso.
  • roPreședintele a ținut un discurs.
  • caEl president va fer un discurs.
  • enThe president gave a speech.

More words from the same Latin

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