Etymologically
Log in

applico

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 11:45. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈap.plɪ.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈap.pli.ko][1]

Forms

applicō (present infinitive applicāre, perfect active applicāvī or applicuī, supine applicātum or applicitum); first conjugation[1] The perfect applicāvī is regular until the end of the Republic, and applicuī becomes common afterwards.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from ad- (“to”) and plicō “to fold”.[2][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of applying one's mind.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bring into contact, put against, as in Catullus and of Caesar's elks leaning against trees, to attach, and to place near.[2][6] It meant to bring persons to a place, to bring a ship in, put in, and reflexively to resort to or join someone, as in Varro.[2] It also meant to add, to bring to bear, apply, to apply one's mind, as in Plautus, or oneself, as in Terence, to turn to a course of action, as in Accius, to attach by friendship, and to make applicable, adapt, as in Livy.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to add, bring, apply, join, put to shore.[7] It survives in Portuguese chegar and Spanish llegar “to arrive”, from the sense of bringing a ship in.[1] Through Old French aplier it is the source of English apply in the late 14th century, and English application comes from applicātiō.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of applying the mind.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of applying oneself.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of bringing ships in.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English apply is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring into contact, put against; to attach.[2]
  2. To place near.[2]
  3. To bring (to a place); to put in (a ship).[2]
  4. (reflexive) To resort to, join.[2]
  5. To add.[2]
  6. To apply, bring to bear; to apply (the mind, oneself).[2]
  7. To attach by friendship.[2]
  8. To adapt, make applicable.[2]

Word family

  • applicātiō

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 k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson