word-forming element meaning "old," from Greekpresby-, combining form ofpresbys "elderly, aged," as a noun, "elder, old man," which is of uncertain and much debated origin and phonetic development (some Doric forms have-g- in place of-b-). The first element is likely*pres- "before, in front" (from PIE root*per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before, first"). Perhaps the whole originally meant "one who leads the cattle," from the root ofbous "cow." Watkins, however, has it from PIE*pres-gwu- "going before," with second element from root*gw-u- "going," a suffixed form of root*gwa- "to come."

Proto-Indo-European root forming prepositions, etc., meaning "forward," and, by extension, "in front of, before, first, chief, toward, near, against," etc.

It might form all or part of:afford;approach;appropriate;approve;approximate;barbican;before;deprive;expropriate;far;first;for;for-;fore;fore-;forefather;foremost;former (adj.);forth;frame;frau;fret;Freya;fro;froward;from;furnish;furniture;further;galore;hysteron-proteron;impervious;improbity;impromptu;improve;palfrey;par (prep.);para- (1) "alongside, beyond; altered; contrary; irregular, abnormal;"paradise;pardon;paramount;paramour;parvenu;pellucid;per;per-;percent;percussion;perennial;perestroika;perfect;perfidy;perform;perfume;perfunctory;perhaps;peri-;perish;perjury;permanent;permeate;permit;pernicious;perpendicular;perpetual;perplex;persecute;persevere;perspective;perspire;persuasion;pertain;peruse;pervade;pervert;pierce;portray;postprandial;prae-;Prakrit;pre-;premier;presbyter;Presbyterian;preterite;pride;priest;primal;primary;primate;primavera;prime;primeval;primitive;primo;primogenitor;primogeniture;primordial;primus;prince;principal;principle;prior;pristine;private;privilege;privy;pro (n.2) "a consideration or argument in favor;"pro-;probably;probe;probity;problem;proceed;proclaim;prodigal;produce;profane;profess;profile;profit;profound;profuse;project;promise;prompt;prone;proof;proper;property;propinquity;prophet;prose;prostate;prosthesis;protagonist;Protean;protect;protein;Proterozoic;protest;proto-;protocol;proton;protoplasm;Protozoa;proud;prove;proverb;provide;provoke;prow;prowess;proximate;Purana;purchase;purdah;reciprocal;rapprochement;reproach;reprove;veneer.

It might also be the source of: Sanskritpari "around, about, through,"parah "farther, remote, ulterior,"pura "formerly, before,"pra- "before, forward, forth;" Avestanpairi- "around,"paro "before;" Hittitepara "outside of," Greekperi "around, about, near, beyond,"pera "across, beyond,"paros "before,"para "from beside, beyond,"pro "before;" Latinpro "before, for, on behalf of, instead of,"porro "forward,"prae "before,"per "through;" Old Church Slavonicpra-dedu "great-grandfather;" Russianpere- "through;" Lithuanianper "through;" Old Irishire "farther,"roar "enough;" Gothicfaura "before," Old Englishfore (prep.) "before, in front of," (adv.) "before, previously,"fram "forward, from,"feor "to a great distance, long ago;" Germanvor "before, in front of;" Old Irishair- Gothicfair-, Germanver-, Old Englishfer-, intensive prefixes.