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advoco

Etymology and origin of the Latin word advoco

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (vōx)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈad.wɔ.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈad.vo.ko][1]

Forms

advocō (present infinitive advocāre, perfect active advocāvī, supine advocātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- “to” and vocō “to call”.[2][1][3] An inscription has a future ⟨advocāpit⟩.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of summoning.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to call, summon someone to a place, to invite to a meal, as in Lucilius, to summon to a meeting, and to convoke an assembly, as in Varro.[2][5] From Plautus it meant to call in for advice or help, as a witness or audience, and in Tacitus to employ as counsel.[2] It meant to invoke gods in prayer, as in Varro, to summon up resources, to have recourse to, to cite as evidence, as in Seneca, and in Pliny to recommend and to secure an adjournment.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to call, summon.[6] Its participle advocātus “one called to help” gave Old French avocat and English advocate in the mid-14th century, and Old French avouer gave English avow.[7][1]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of summoning.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of calling in for help.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of convoking.[2][4]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of employing counsel.[2][4]
  • mid-14th century – English advocate is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To summon; to invite; to convoke.[2]
  2. To call in for help or advice.[2]
  3. To employ as counsel.[2]
  4. To invoke.[2]
  5. To summon up; to have recourse to.[2]
  6. To cite as evidence.[2]
  7. To recommend, (law) to secure an adjournment.[2]

Word family

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 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 c d e 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. ^ 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

“Advoco.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/advoco. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·