Presto can refer to a fast tempo in music or serve as a magician’s exclamation upon completing a trick. Originating from Italian, the word means “quickly” and stems from the Latin word praestus, which translates to “ready” but has a more literal meaning of “stand before.” It consists of the prefix prae-, denoting “before” (derived from Proto-Indo-European per, still meaning “before”), and the verb stare, signifying “to stand” (coming from PIE steh with the same definition). The term praestus also contributed to the development of the imprest accounting system and the initial component of the name for the restaurant chain Pret-a-Manger (which translates to “ready to eat”). Despite reaching its peak in 1797, the usage of the word presto has remained relatively consistent over time.
