antepono

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [an.tɛˈpoː.noː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [an.teˈpɔː.no]^[1]

Forms

antepōnō (present infinitive antepōnere, perfect active anteposuī or anteposīvī, supine antepositum or antepostum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from ante- “before” and pōnō “to place”.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of preferring.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to place in front, as in Tacitus, who has the knights' seats placed before those of the people; to place before in time; to esteem more highly, prefer, as in Plautus and Cicero; and to give someone precedence, appoint, as in Cicero.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to place before, prefer.^[5] It survives in Italian anteporre and Spanish anteponer.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of preferring.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of precedence.^[2][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of placing in front.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To place in front.^[2]
2. To place before in time.^[2]
3. To prefer, esteem more highly.^[2]
4. To give precedence to.^[2]

Related words

• pōnō
• praepōnō

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson