Brewer's: Prodigal

Festus says the Romans called victims wholly consumed by fire prodigæ hostiæ (victims prodigalised), and adds that those who waste their substance are therefore called prodigals. This derivation can hardly be considered correct. Prodigal is pro-ago or prod-igo (to drive forth), and persons who had spent all their patrimony were “driven forth” to be sold as slaves to their creditors.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language