When the term protest was initially introduced in the English language circa 1560, it denoted a “formal declaration” (similar to the noun Protestant, which referred to individuals who formally declared their independence from the Catholic Church). Its origins can be traced back to Old French protester, which ultimately derives from Latin protestari, signifying “publicly declare” with a more literal translation of “testify before”. This is due to the prefix pro-, indicating “before” or “in front of” in this context (from Proto-Indo-European per, meaning “forward”), combined with the root testis, meaning “witness” (also the root of words like testify, testament, and testicle; originating from the Proto-Indo-European word for “three”, tris). Originally, the act of protesting involved standing before others and expressing one’s thoughts. Over time, the term acquired a more confrontational connotation, culminating in its contemporary definition of “mass demonstration” during the civil rights movement.
