From earlier variants e prende or e prente, from the name of Prenda, a pagan goddess protector of women, from Proto-Indo-European*prāy-, *prēy- 'like, love'. Cognate to Germanic* Frijjō (cf. Old Norse Freyja(“lady, mistress”), English Friday), Sanskrit प्रिय(prīyā́, “beloved, wife”). Probably a calque of Latin dies Veneris.