Etymologically
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afficio

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [afˈfɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [afˈfiː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

afficiō (present infinitive afficere, perfect active affēcī, supine affectum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- (“to”) and faciō “to do, make”, with the vowel weakened to ⟨i⟩.[2][1][3] Lewis and Short prefer the spelling ⟨adficiō⟩.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of treating someone in a certain way and of stirring emotions.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to do something to someone so that body or mind is brought into a certain state: to affect, influence, make an impression, as in Lucretius, and to treat in a given manner.[2][3] With an ablative it meant to endow someone with something, as sepultūrā afficere “to grant burial”, to involve in disgrace or misfortune, and to visit with death or punishment, as in Varro.[2] It meant to cause harm, as in Tacitus, to stir with an emotion, and to move strongly, as in Cicero.[2] In Cicero it also meant to advance a task towards completion.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to affect, treat, influence.[5] English affect “mental state” came in the late 14th century from its participle affectus.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of treating and moving someone.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of punishment.[2][4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of physical effects.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English affect is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To affect, influence.[2]
  2. To treat (in a given manner).[2]
  3. To endow (with), sepultūrā afficere, to grant burial.[2]
  4. To involve (in misfortune); to visit (with punishment).[2]
  5. To harm.[2]
  6. To move, stir (emotionally).[2]
  7. To advance (a task).[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com