English → Latin
“prevent” in Latin
praeveniōto anticipate; to precede; to interrupt, preventpraeeōto go before, precede (with dative); to go forward; lead the way; to dictateinterveniōto intervene, come between; to interrupt; to occur, happenpraecipiōto take or seize beforehand, in advance; to anticipate; to enjoin, direct, order, commandanticipōto take or get before; anticipate; to surpass, exceloccupōto occupy, fill, take up; to seize, invade, take possession of; to anticipate, make the first moveobstōto stand before, stand in the way of, obstruct, block, oppose; to thwart, hinderprohibeōto hold back or before, keep or ward off, restrain; avert; prevent, hinder; to forbid, prohibit; to keep, preserve, defe
The English word prevent itself goes back to Latin veniō, through praeventus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
prevent
To go before, praevenire: praeire: intervenire (to get the start of).
To anticipate, praecipere: anticipare: (ante) occupare. [Vid: ANTICIPATE.]
To hinder, impedire aliquid: impedimento esse alicui rei: impedimentum afferre alicui rei faciendae (general terms): obstare or officere alicui rei alicujus: prohibere [SYN. in HINDER]: non sinere aliquid, or generally non sinere aliquid fieri (οὐκ ἐᾷν τι, not to allow anything, not to let it pass or happen; e.g., the passage over, transitum or transire lion sinere): to prevent anybody from doing anything, prohibere aliquem aliquid facere; aliquem impedire ab aliqua re; impedire ne quis aliquid faciat; non sinere aliquem aliquid facere; aliquem arcere or prohibere aliqua re: to prevent approach to the shore, qra e nave egredi prohibere: nothing prevents our doing it, nihil impedit, quominus hoc faciamus: which you both could and should have prevented, quod et potuisti prohibere ne fieret, et debuisti.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for prevent?
- The usual Latin words for “prevent” are praeveniō, praeeō, interveniō; also praecipiō, anticipō, occupō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.