Where does the word provost come from?

Answer 1

From the Online Etymology Dictionary:

; provost : O.E. profost, from M.L. propositus (reinforced by O.Fr. cognate provost), from L. propositus, præpositus "a chief, prefect" (cf. O.Prov. probost, O.H.G. probost, Ger. Propst), lit. "placed before, in charge of," from pp. of præponere "put before" (see preposition). Provost marshal first recorded 1513.