aequo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈae̯.kʷoː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.kʷo]^[1]

Forms

aequō (present infinitive aequāre, perfect active aequāvī, supine aequātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin aequus (“level, equal”) + -ō.^[2][3][1] De Vaan finds no convincing etymology for ⟨aequus⟩, probably from ⟨*aikwos⟩.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Among the OLD's earliest citations are Plautus and Lucretius.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make level, even, smooth, as in Caesar's locum aequāre “to level the ground” and Catullus; to make even in number; to put on the same plane, as in Vitruvius; to straighten a line of troops, or draw level in a race, as in Livy; to match, to establish on equal terms, as in Caesar; to regard or represent as equal, liken, as in Livy; and to equal in size or number, or match, rival, as in Horace.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to make level, equal.^[7] English equate (early 15th century) is from its participle.^[8] It survives in Spanish eguar.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of levelling ground.^[6][5]
• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of rivalling.^[2][5]
• early 15th century – English equate is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make level, even, smooth.^[2]
2. To make even in number; to put on the same plane.^[2]
3. To straighten (a line); to draw level (in a race).^[2]
4. To establish on equal terms; to match.^[2]
5. To regard as equal, liken.^[2]
6. To equal, match, rival.^[2]

Word family

• adaequō
• aequābilis
• aequamen
• aequamentum
• aequātiō
• aequātor
• coaequō
• exaequō
• inaequō
• peraequō
• aequābilitās
• aequābiliter

Related words

• aequē
• aequitās
• aequiter
• aequor
• aequum
• aequus
• English equate

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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ 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
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com