1570s, "the taking of something anticipated as already done or existing," from Latin prolepsis, from Greek prolepsis "an anticipating," literally "a taking beforehand," from prolambanein "to take before," from pro "before" (see pro-) + lambanein "to take" (see lemma). Related: Proleptic; proleptical; proleptically.
prokaryotic
prolactin
prolapse
prole
prolegomenon
prolepsis
proles
proletarian
proletarianism
proletariat
prolicide