LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

prōvidentia

prōvidentia f (genitive prōvidentiae)
Classical[proː.wɪˈdɛn.ti.a]Ecclesiastical[pro.viˈdɛn.t͡si.a]

Meaning

  1. The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge.
  2. Precaution, providence, forethought.

In the readers how our graded readers gloss it

providence
prōvidentia — in Seneca, ch. XX

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeprōvidentiaprōvidentiae
genitiveprōvidentiaeprōvidentiārum
dativeprōvidentiaeprōvidentiīs
accusativeprōvidentiamprōvidentiās
ablativeprōvidentiāprōvidentiīs
vocativeprōvidentiaprōvidentiae

prōvĭdentĭa, ae, f. provideo.
I. Foresight, foreknowledge: providentia est, per quam futurum aliquid videtur ante quam factum sit, Cic. Inv. 2, 53, 160: timoris tormentum memoria reducit, providentia anticipat, Sen. Ep. 5, 9.—
II. Foresight, forethought, forecast, precaution, providence (cf. prudentia): deorum providentiā mundum administrari, Cic. Div. 1, 51, 117; cf. id. N. D. 1, 8, 18; 2, 22, 58; Quint. 11, 1, 23: alterum ex providentiā timorem afferre solet, Sall. J. 7, 5: plurimum tibi et usus et providentiae superest, Plin. Ep. 3, 19, 9: jam te providentia deorum primum in locum provexerat, id. Pan. 10, 4.—With object. gen.: neque feriendi neque declinandi providentia, Tac. H. 4, 29: providentia filiorum suorum, Dig. 33, 1, 7 fin.—In plur.: agnosce bonitatem dei ex providentiis, Tert. adv. Marc. 2, 4 fin.—
B. Transf.
1. The government of the world by infinite wisdom and foresight, providence (post-class.): tua, Pater, providentia gubernat, Vulg. Sap. 14, 3; id. Act. 24, 2.—
2. Providence, as a designation of the Deity (post-Aug.): vis illum (deum) providentiam dicere? recte dices, Sen. Q. N. 2, 45, 2: oratio, quā nihil praestantius homini dedit providentia, Quint. 1, 10, 7; 1, 12, 19; 6 praef. § 4; 5, 12, 19; 10, 1, 109; 12, 1, 2; App. M. 6, p. 179, 12.—
3. Providentia, Providence, personified as a goddess, a transl. of the Gr. Πρόνοια, Macr. S. 1, 17.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  4. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  5. Proto-Indo-European*pro-
  6. Proto-Italic*pro-
  7. Latinprōvidentia

Proto-Indo-European *weyd- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *widéh₁yeti Proto-Italic *widēō Latin videō Latin prōvideō Latin prōvidēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin prōvidentia From prōvidēns (“taking care, giving attention to; foreseeing”) + -ia. Compare prūdentia. Possibly coined by Cicero as a calque of Ancient Greek πρόνοια (prónoia).

Descendants
  • Frenchpourvoyancefrom Middle French pourvéance
  • Frenchpourvéancefrom Middle French pourvéance
  • Englishprovidence
  • Frenchprovidence
  • Italianprovvidenza
  • Portugueseprovidência
  • Romanianprovidență
  • Spanishprovidencia
  • Old Irishremcaisiu

In English words that came into English from prōvidentia

  • providenceprōvidentia
  • foresightprōvidentia
  • providentialprōvidentia

Quick answers

What does prōvidentia mean in Latin?
prōvidentia, a noun, means “The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge.; Precaution, providence, forethought.”.
What is the genitive of prōvidentia?
The genitive singular is prōvidentiae. prōvidentia is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce prōvidentia?
In classical Latin, [proː.wɪˈdɛn.ti.a]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [pro.viˈdɛn.t͡si.a].
Where does prōvidentia come from?
Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? → Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? → Proto-Indo-European *pér → Proto-Indo-European *pró → Proto-Indo-European *pro- → Proto-Italic *pro- → Latin prōvidentia.
Which English words come from prōvidentia?
English words that go back to Latin prōvidentia include providence, foresight and providential.