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assideo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word assideo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (sedeō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [asˈsɪ.de.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [asˈsiː.de.o][1]

Forms

assideō (present infinitive assidēre, perfect active assēdī, supine assessum); second conjugation, no passive[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- (“by”) and sedeō “to sit”, with the vowel weakened to ⟨i⟩.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Cicero, of sitting by someone.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to sit near, sit by, as Cicero's nōn assidēre and his sitting beside someone, to sit as an assessor or counsellor, to support someone in court, and to sit by the sick, watch over them.[2][5] In war it meant to encamp near, besiege, as in Livy and Sallust.[2] It meant to be situated near, of places to adjoin, as in Horace, to devote oneself to something, as in Ovid, and to be akin to, resemble, as in Horace.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to sit, be seated.[6] It survives in Italian assidere.[1] Through Old French assise, the participle of asseoir from it, it is the source of English size about 1300, and English assess comes from its participle assessus.[3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of sitting by and assisting.[2][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of besieging.[2][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of adjoining and resembling.[2][4]
  • c. 1300 – English size is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To sit near, sit by.[2]
  2. To sit as an assessor; to support (in court).[2]
  3. To watch over (the sick).[2]
  4. To besiege.[2]
  5. To adjoin; to devote oneself (to).[2]
  6. To resemble.[2]

Word family

  • assessio
  • assessor
  • assessura
  • assessus
  • assestrīx
  • assidelus
  • assiduus
  • *assediāre
  • *asseditō
  • assidelae

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

“Assideo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/assideo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·