# preside

> English word · Verb · IPA /pɹɪˈzaɪd/ · frequency rank #29,424

## Definitions
1. To act as president or chairperson.
2. To exercise authority or control.
3. To be a featured solo performer.

## Etymology
From Old French presider, from Latin praesidēre (“preside”), from pre- (“before”) + sedere (“to sit”). Displaced Old English foresittan, which might have been a calque of the Latin.

## Easily confused with
- **pride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-pride)
- **provide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-provide)
- **presume** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-presume)
- **prestige** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-prestige)
- **presidio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-presidio)
- **president** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-president)
- **precise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/precise-vs-preside)
- **premise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/premise-vs-preside)
- **prelude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prelude-vs-preside)
- **precede** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/precede-vs-preside)

## Common misspellings (10)
`perside`, `ppreside`, `preisde`, `presdie`, `presidde`, `presied`, `presside`, `prreside`, `prseide`, `rpeside`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/preside