Etymologically
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adnuo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈan.nu.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈad.nu.o][1]

Forms

adnuō (present infinitive adnuere, perfect active adnuī, supine adnūtum); third conjugation[1] It is also spelled annuō.[2][3] Ennius has a perfect adnūit with a long u.[2]

Etymology

It is formed from ad- (“to, towards”) and the verb ⟨*nuō⟩ “to nod”, found only in compounds.[2][3][1] De Vaan derives ⟨-nuō⟩ from Proto-Italic *nowe/o- and Proto-Indo-European *neu-e/o- (“to nod”), the root also of nūtus (“nod”) and nūmen (“nod; divine will”).[4] Cognate with Ancient Greek νεύω (neúō, “to nod, beckon”) and Old Irish ad·noí (“entrusts”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[4] who has it of a bid at an auction, “hey, did you nod?”, in the Stichus, and of assent in the Truculentus: “will you give or not? They nod.”[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to make a sign, usually with the head, to beckon or nod, to signal a command, and at an auction to nod a bid.[2] More often it is to nod assent or agreement, and of things to be consistent with or permit.[2][1]

Of the gods it is to grant a prayer, as Catullus' ruler of heaven who nodded with unconquerable will, to grant or promise, as Virgil's “you to whom you grant the citadel of heaven”, and to give favour or support, as Virgil's audācibus adnue coeptīs, “favour my bold undertaking”.[2][1] It is also to approve, as Pliny the Elder's fish that give answers to the local people by snatching the food.[2] Ancient glossaries render it “consent, favour, pledge, promise, allow, grant”.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a nod at an auction and of assent.[2][5]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius.[2][5]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus of Jupiter granting a prayer.[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil: audācibus adnue coeptīs.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To nod, beckon, make a sign; to nod a bid (at an auction).[2][1]
  2. To nod assent, agree; to permit.[2][1]
  3. To grant (a prayer); to grant, promise.[2][1][3]
  4. To approve;[2][1] (of the gods) to favour, support.[2][1]

Word family

  • annūtō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c 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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de