antecello

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [an.tɛˈkɛl.loː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [an.teˈt͡ʃɛl.lo]^[1]

Forms

antecellō (present infinitive antecellere); third conjugation, no perfect or supine stems^[1]

Etymology

It is from ante- “before” and a lost verb ⟨*cellō⟩ “to rise”, whose participle is celsus “high”, from Proto-Indo-European *kelH- (“to rise”), the root of collis and columen.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero and the Rhetorica ad Herennium.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Literally to project, it was used figuratively: to be prominent, surpass, excel, with a dative, an accusative or alone, as in Cicero; and to be stronger than, prevail over, as in Tacitus.^[2][3] Lewis & Short note that the perfect and supine are not used.^[3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to excel, surpass, rise.^[5]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[2][4]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of prevailing.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To surpass, excel.^[2]
2. To be stronger than, prevail over.^[2]

Related words

• excellō
• praecellō
• celsus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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