Meaning

noun a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

originFrom Middle English prince, from Anglo-Norman prince, from Latin prīnceps (“first head”), from prīmus (“first”) + capiō (“seize, take”). Cognate with Old English fruma (“prince, ruler”). Doublet of princeps and principe. Displaced native Middle English atheling, from Old English æþeling; Middle English kinebarn, from Old English cynebearn; Middle English alder, from Old English ealdor; and Middle…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0