Etymologically
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ardeo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈaːr.de.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈar.de.o][1]

Forms

ārdeō (present infinitive ārdēre, perfect active ārsī, supine ārsum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from āridus “dry”, a derivative of āreō “to be dry”, from Proto-Italic *ās-ē-, Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₁s-eh₁- (“to be dry”).[2][3][1] Wiktionary compares the formation of audeō from avidus, and notes a possible cognate in Umbrian.[1] The noun ārdor is derived from the verb.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, whose character thought the house was on fire, it shone so brightly.[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to burn, be on fire, to blaze, and to flash or gleam with bright colours, as Aeneas' cloak glowing with Tyrian purple in Virgil, and to be fiercely hot.[4] Of people it meant to burn with passion, rage, be fervent, as Plautus' burning heart, to be eager, and to be in love, as in Ovid.[4] Of emotions, conspiracies and countries it meant to flare up or be in turmoil, as Cicero's conspiracy at its fiercest and Italy ablaze with the Social War.[4] Döderlein says it is a visible glowing heat, while flagrō is bright flame.[6]

It survives in Italian ardere and Spanish arder.[1] English ardent and English ardour come from its participle and noun through Old French.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a house seeming to burn.[4][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a raging conspiracy.[4][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a gleaming cloak.[4][5]
  • early 14th century – English ardent is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To burn, be on fire.[4]
  2. To blaze.[4]
  3. To gleam, flash.[4]
  4. To be fiercely hot.[4]
  5. To burn with passion, rage.[4]
  6. To be eager.[4]
  7. To be in love.[4]
  8. (of emotions, countries) To flare up, be in turmoil.[4]

Word family

  • ārdēscō
  • ārdifētus
  • ārdor
  • arsūra
  • exārdeō
  • obardeō
  • perardeo
  • ārdēns
  • ārsus
  • assō
  • āreō
  • āridus
  • English ardent
  • English ardor

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com