prevail

B2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /pɹɪˈvæɪl/ UK /pɹɪˈveɪl/ See IPA manual

verb Freq #12211

Meanings

1

verb
To win or be successful in a struggle or competition.

The champion prevailed after a long, hard fight.
2

verb
To be common or widespread at a particular time or place.

Such customs prevailed all over Europe in those days.
3

verb
To succeed in persuading someone to do something.

I prevailed on him to wait a little longer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to win or be successful in... triumph

2 verb · to be common or widespread... predominate

Word family

Forms prevailedprevailingprevailsunprevailing

Derived forms prevailerprevailment

Related forms prevalence prevalent

Etymology

From Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaler, from Latin praevaleō (“be very able or more able, be superior, prevail”), from prae (“before”) + valeō (“be able or powerful”). Displaced native Old English rīcsian.

*h₂welh₁- Proto-Indo-European prevailen Middle English prevaler Old French praevaleō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

# prevail

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** pɹɪˈvæɪl
**IPA (UK):** pɹɪˈveɪl
**Frequency rank:** 12211

## Meanings
1. To win or be successful in a struggle or competition.
2. To be common or widespread at a particular time or place.
3. To succeed in persuading someone to do something.

## Examples
- The champion prevailed after a long, hard fight.
- Such customs prevailed all over Europe in those days.
- I prevailed on him to wait a little longer.

## Derived Forms
- prevailer
- prevailment

## Related Forms
- prevalence
- prevalent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂welh₁-
- Root: prevailen
- Root: prevaler
- Root: praevaleō

## Etymology
From Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaler, from Latin praevaleō (“be very able or more able, be superior, prevail”), from prae (“before”) + valeō (“be able or powerful”). Displaced native Old English rīcsian.

## AI Etymology
Prevail comes from Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaler, from Latin praevaleō (“be very able or more able, be superior, prevail”), from prae (“before”) + valeō (“be able or powerful”). Displaced native Old English rīcsian. In present-day English it covers to win or be successful in a struggle or competition, to be common or widespread at a particular time or place, and to succeed in persuading someone to do something. The wider family includes derived forms such as prevailer, prevailment and related forms such as prevalence, prevalent.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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prevail

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