aboleo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aˈbɔ.ɫe.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aˈbɔː.le.o]^[1]

Forms

aboleō (present infinitive abolēre, perfect active abolēvī, supine abolitum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It probably contains ab- (“away”) and a verb going back to Proto-Italic *ol-ē-, a causative inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₃olh₁-éye- (“to bring down, destroy”), from the root of Ancient Greek ὄλλυμι (óllumi, “to destroy”).^[2][1] De Vaan follows the LIV in this, and adds that aboleo and Ancient Greek ἀπόλλυμι (apóllumi, “to destroy utterly”) may continue the same Proto-Indo-European combination with a preverb.^[2] Walde and Hofmann and Ernout and Meillet wondered whether it was formed as the opposite of adolēre “to grow”, a view the OLD and Lewis and Short follow.^[2][3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Columella onwards,^[2] but the OLD and the TLL cite it already in Virgil, who uses it of flesh that no water can cleanse and of destroying all reminders of Aeneas.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

The verb meant to destroy or efface, and of people to kill; in the passive it meant to die.^[3][4] It meant to dispel conditions and feelings, to efface a memory, and to wipe out disgrace, as in Livy's abolere ignominiam.^[3] In public life it meant to abolish or suppress institutions, laws and rites, and in law to drop a charge or abandon a prosecution.^[3][7]

The TLL notes that it appears from Virgil and Livy, is rare in the 1st century AD, and becomes frequent in Suetonius and Pliny the Younger.^[6] Through French abolir it gave English abolish in the mid-15th century.^[5]

Timeline

• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of destroying all reminders of Aeneas.^[3][8]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it for abolishing a magistracy and wiping out disgrace.^[3][8]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it.^[2][8]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it for abolishing taxes and rites.^[4][8]
• mid-15th century – Through French it gives English abolish.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To destroy, efface; to kill, (passive) to die.^[3][4]
2. To dispel, banish (a condition, a feeling).^[3]
3. To efface from the memory; to wipe out (disgrace).^[3]
4. To abolish, suppress (an institution, law, rite).^[3][7]
5. (law) To drop (a charge); to abandon (a prosecution).^[3]

Word family

• abolēfaciō
• abolitiō
• abolitor
• abolēscō

Related words

• adoleō
• dēleō
• English abolish

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de