affigo

Forms

affīgō (present infinitive affīgere, perfect active affīxī, supine affīxum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin ad- + fīgō (“to drive in, fasten”).^[2][1] De Vaan derives fīgō from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeigʷ-e/o- or *dʰiHgʷ-e/o-, and lists affīgō among its derivatives.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it from Plautus on.^[3] The earliest quotation in the OLD is from Lucilius, of a bone fixed to the vertebrae in the back.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The basic sense was to fasten or nail something to something else, with the dative or ad: heads nailed to doors, spoils hung up, a man fixed to a cross or chained, as Prometheus to the Caucasus.^[2][4] It could also mean to pierce, to fit a part in place, and to confine someone to a place, as an illness keeps a man in bed.^[2] The participle affixus came to mean attached or devoted to a person, or intent on an occupation.^[2]

Figuratively it meant to impress something on the mind or memory, in Quintilian and Seneca.^[2][4] Medieval Latin also used it for posting a notice publicly and for setting up or erecting things.^[5] From the participle came Medieval Latin affixare, the source of English affix.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, the first author to have the word.^[3][7]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius describes a bone attached to the vertebrae.^[2][7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of Prometheus chained to the Caucasus.^[2][7]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil describes heads of men fixed to doors.^[2][7]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it for fixing a saying in the mind.^[2][7]
• 1530s – English affix appears, from Medieval Latin affixare.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To fasten, nail or pin (to something); to hang up spoils; to fix to a cross; to chain.^[2][4]
2. To transfix, pierce.^[2]
3. To attach or fit in place, as a part or component; to set on top of something; to apply a remedy.^[2]
4. To confine (a person to a place).^[2]
5. affixus: attached or devoted (to a person); intent on (an occupation); closely connected (with something).^[2]
6. To fix or impress (on the mind or memory).^[2][4]
7. (Medieval Latin) To post publicly; to set up, erect.^[5]

Word family

• affixa
• affixio

Related words

• English affix

Usage notes

Silius Italicus has the contracted form affixet for affixisset.^[2][4]

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 q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de