accedo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [akˈkeː.doː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [atˈt͡ʃɛː.do]^[1]

Forms

accēdō (present infinitive accēdere, perfect active accessī, supine accessum); third conjugation, no passive^[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- (“to”) and cēdō “to go”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of approaching.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to come near, approach, reach a person or place, as Cicero's approaching someone and Caesar's the camp, and to enter.^[2][5] It meant to resort to someone, to advance against an enemy, as in Ennius, of rivers and roads to approach, and of weapons to reach.^[2] It meant to come to a subject, to join a group or alliance, to agree or assent, as in Quintilian, to take up a task, and to succeed to a position.^[2] It meant to come near in quality, age or kinship, as in Cicero, of conditions to set in, as in Cato, and of times to draw near.^[2] It also meant to be added, accrue, as in Plautus, and impersonally accēdit quod “there is the further fact that”.^[2] Virgil has the syncopated accēstis.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to approach, accede, approve.^[7] It survives in French accéder and Spanish acceder.^[1] English accede came in the early 15th century, and English access from its noun accessus.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of approaching and being added.^[2][4]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of advancing forces.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of approaching and of coming near in quality.^[2][4]
• early 15th century – English accede is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To approach, come near; to enter.^[2]
2. To advance (against an enemy).^[2]
3. To come (to a subject).^[2]
4. To join; to agree, assent.^[2]
5. To take up (a task); to succeed (to).^[2]
6. To come near (in quality, age).^[2]
7. (of conditions) To set in, (of times) to draw near.^[2]
8. To be added, accēdit quod, besides.^[2]

Word family

• accedentia
• accessibilis
• accessiō
• accessitō
• accessus
• inaccessus
• accessa
• accēdenter
• arcessō

Related words

• cēdō
• English accede
• English access

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson