proactive

/pˌɹəʊˈæktɪv/proh-AK-tiv

/pˌɹoʊˈæktɪv/proh-AK-tiv

Meaningacting forward

Common meaning: taking steps early to head off a likely problem

proforward; forth
actdrive, lead; do, actLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 74 · scan
iveadjective ending: tending to

‘forward’ + ‘drive, lead’ → proactive

Journey through time

Latinagō, ēgī, āctum‘drive, lead’
Englishproactive‘taking steps early to head off a likely problem’ · today

pro- also in: prompt propel problem proceed process

act also in: actuate exact react agenda exactly

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin agō ‘drive, lead; do, act’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry agō, p. 74 · dictionary scan

Roots

agō, ēgī, āctum Latin “drive, lead; do, act”

Related words

actuate agenda exact exactly hyperactive interact overreact pedagogy react reaction reactive reactor

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