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adultero

Etymology and origin of the Latin word adultero

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cato
Ultimate origin
Latin (ad,alter)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [aˈdʊɫ.tɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aˈdul.te.ro][1]

Forms

adulterō (present infinitive adulterāre, perfect active adulterāvī, supine adulterātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is perhaps from ad- and alter “other” with the verb suffix -ō, “to alter, make other”; it is related to adulter “adulterer”.[2][3][4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of committing adultery.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to commit adultery, to defile by adultery, as in Cato and Cicero.[2][4] From that it meant to mix one substance with another, adulterate, as in Pliny the Elder; to counterfeit, as of jewels; and of abstractions to corrupt, debase, as in Cicero.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to commit adultery, pollute, counterfeit.[6] English adulterate (1530s, “debase by mixing”) is from its participle adulterātus.[7] It survives in Italian adulterare and Spanish adulterar.[1]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of corrupting.[2][5]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of adulterating.[2][5]
  • 1530s – English adulterate is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To commit adultery; to defile by adultery.[2]
  2. To adulterate; to counterfeit.[2]
  3. To corrupt, debase.[2]

Word family

  • adulterātiō
  • adulterātor
  • adulterātus

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 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Adultero.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/adultero. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·