Latin

Noun

prōmptus m ‎(genitive prōmptūs); fourth declension

1. a taking forth
   1. an exposing to view, a being visible, visibility, in the phrase:

      in promptu esse (habere, ponere) — “to be (make, render) public, open, visible, manifest”

   2. readiness; willingness, zeal, as in the phrases:

      in promptu esse, habere — “to be at hand, to have ready”

      dignare promptus ingeri - "grant zeal to be entered within" (from the hymn Nunc Sancte Nobis)

   3. ease, facility; only in the phrase:

      in promptu esse — “to be easy”

Inflection

Fourth declension.

Descendants

• French: prompt

Etymology 2

Perfect passive participle of prōmō.

Participle

prōmptus m ‎(feminine prōmpta, neuter prōmptum); first/second declension

1. produced

Inflection

First/second declension.

Adjective

prōmptus m ‎(feminine prōmpta, neuter prōmptum); first/second declension

1. manifest, disclosed
2. ready, willing, eager
3. quick, prompt

Inflection

First/second declension.

Descendants

• English: prompt
• French: prompt,prompte
• Italian: pronto
• Portuguese: pronto
• Spanish: pronto

References

• promptus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• promptus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• PROMPTUS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “promptus”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to have a ready tongue: lingua promptum esse
    
  • to be humorously inclined: animo prompto esse ad iocandum
    
  • it is clear, evident: hoc in promptu est