Etymologically
Log in

accipio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 01:42. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [akˈkɪ.pi.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [atˈt͡ʃiː.pi.o][1]

Forms

accipiō (present infinitive accipere, perfect active accēpī, supine acceptum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ad- (“to, towards”) + capiō (“to take”).[2][3] The verb capiō is inherited from Proto-Italic *kap-i- (“to seize”), which de Vaan derives from PIE *kh₂p-i- or from a non-Indo-European *kap-i-.[4] Pacuvius has an old future accepsō.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are Ennius, “take your hands and mine”, and Plautus, who has a character take a bowl from someone's hand.[2][5] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to take in one's hand what is offered, to receive, to take into one's possession, to get or acquire, to take charge of, and to inherit.[2] With the mind it meant to hear of, learn and understand, and to take something said or done in a certain way, to interpret.[1] It also meant to receive guests, to treat or deal with someone, and to bear or suffer something unpleasant.[1]

Its frequentative acceptāre “to receive willingly” gave Old French accepter and English accept in the late 14th century.[7]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of taking hands.[2][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of taking a bowl from someone's hand.[5][6]
  • 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses the old future accepsō.[2][6]
  • late 14th century – English accept is recorded, from acceptāre.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To take, receive (something offered).[2]
  2. To take into one's possession; to get, acquire.[2]
  3. To take charge of; to inherit.[2]
  4. To hear of, learn; to understand.[1]
  5. To take, interpret (in a certain way).[1]
  6. To entertain (guests); to treat, deal with.[1]
  7. To bear, suffer (something unpleasant).[1]

Word family

  • accepta
  • acceptiō
  • acceptō
  • acceptor
  • acceptorius
  • acceptrīx
  • acceptum
  • superaccipiō

References

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