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accuso

Etymology and origin of the Latin word accuso

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (causa)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [akˈkuː.soː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [akˈkuː.s̬o][1]

Forms

accūsō (present infinitive accūsāre, perfect active accūsāvī, supine accūsātum); first conjugation[1] An inscription has accussasse.[2]

Etymology

It is from ad- “to” and causa “cause, lawsuit”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of blaming.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to blame, find fault with, as in Plautus, and in Cicero to charge with a crime, to accuse in court.[2] In Varro cāsus accūsandī was the accusative case.[2] Döderlein explains that arguere is the most general word for imputing guilt, in or out of court, while accūsāre is the formal charge.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to accuse, blame, call to account publicly.[6] It survives in Italian accusare, French accuser and Spanish acusar, and through Old French it gave English accuse about 1300.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of blaming.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro has cāsus accūsandī.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a legal charge.[2][4]
  • c. 1300 – English accuse is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To blame, find fault with.[2]
  2. To accuse, charge.[2]
  3. (grammar) cāsus accūsandī, the accusative case.[2]

Word family

  • accūsābilis
  • accūsātiō
  • accūsātīvus
  • accūsātor
  • accūsātōrius
  • accūsātrīx
  • accūsitō
  • inaccusatus
  • subaccūsō

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from arguō.[5]

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 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. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Accuso.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/accuso. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·