early 14c., "to utter, declare officially," from O.Fr. pronuncier (late 13c.), from L.L. pronunciare, from L. pronuntiare "to proclaim, announce, pronounce," from pro- "forth, out, in public" + nuntiare "announce," from nuntius "messenger" (see nuncio). With ref. to the mode
of sounding words or languages, it is attested from c.1620 (but cf. pronunciation in this sense early 15c.). Pronounced, with the fig. meaning "emphatic," first attested c.1730.