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apporto

Etymology and origin of the Latin word apporto

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (portō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin porto
Latin transporto
Latin supporto
Latin apporto

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [apˈpɔr.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [apˈpɔr.to][1]

Forms

apportō (present infinitive apportāre, perfect active apportāvī, supine apportātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ad- + portō (“to carry”).[2][3] It is also spelled adportō.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus has a character say that if they bring good news he is grateful.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to carry or bring to a person or place, and specially to import, as Cicero speaks of a stone that had to be cut and carried.[2] It also meant to bring with one, of an event to bring in its train, and to present a new play, as in Terence's prologues.[2] Lewis & Short note that it is most frequent before Cicero, who uses it only literally, and was later replaced by adferō.[4] With adventum it meant to come, arrive.[2][1]

Medieval Latin used it of bringing, of reporting news and of handing over property.[6] Its Romance descendants include French apporter, Italian apportare and Spanish aportar.[1][3] English rapport comes from French rapporter, built on apporter.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of bringing news.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of presenting a play.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of carrying stone.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring, carry, convey; to import.[2][1]
  2. To bring with one; to present a play.[2]
  3. To bring news.[2]
  4. With adventum, to come, arrive.[2][1]

Word family

  • apportātiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Apporto.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/apporto. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·