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affecto

Etymology and origin of the Latin word affecto

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Latin (faciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [afˈfɛk.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [afˈfɛk.to][1]

Forms

affectō (present infinitive affectāre, perfect active affectāvī, supine affectātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from afficiō “to affect” with the frequentative suffix -tō.[2][1][3] It is better spelled ⟨adfectō⟩, and Varro has a deponent ⟨affectātus est⟩.[4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of attempting a journey, viam affectāre.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Terence it meant to set out on a journey, and in Sallust to strive after, aspire, and to try to win control of, conquer.[2] In Quintilian it meant to strain after a style, and in Livy spem affectāre to cherish a hope.[2] In Virgil it meant to lay hold of, grasp.[2] From Seneca it meant to pretend, affect, lay claim to.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to pursue, strive after, imitate faultily.[6] It survives in Italian affettare and Spanish afeitar “to shave”, and French affecter is a borrowing.[1] Wiktionary lists English affect among its descendants.[1]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses viam affectāre.[2][5]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of striving for control.[2][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of pretending.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To set out on (a journey).[2]
  2. To strive after, aspire; to cherish (a hope).[2]
  3. To try to win control of.[2]
  4. To grasp.[2]
  5. To pretend, affect.[2]

Word family

  • affectātiō
  • affectātor
  • affectātus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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
Cite this entry

“Affecto.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/affecto. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·