Etymologically

abhibeo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word abhibeo

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*gʰh₁b-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [aˈbɪ.be.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aˈbiː.be.o][1]

Forms

abhibeō (present infinitive abhibēre, perfect active abhibuī, supine abhibitum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

The OLD derives it, with a query, from ab- and habeō “to have, hold”, and Wiktionary gives the same.[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨habeō⟩ to Proto-Italic *xab-ē- (“has taken, has”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰh₁b- (“to take”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It occurs only in Plautus' Trinummus, in a conjectural reading.[4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hold at a distance, keep away.[2][4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[4][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hold at a distance, keep away.[2][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Abhibeo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/abhibeo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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