assumo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [asˈsuː.moː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [asˈsuː.mo]^[1]

Forms

assūmō (present infinitive assūmere, perfect active assūmpsī, supine assūmptum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from ad- “to” and sūmō “to take”, and is also spelled ⟨adsūmō⟩.^[2][1][3] Etymonline analyses ⟨sūmō⟩ as ⟨sub⟩ and emō “to take”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucretius, of taking food.^[2] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to take as an addition, add, and in Ovid to put on, grow, and in Lucretius to take food or drink.^[2] It meant to take with one as a companion, as Cicero's legions taken up in Italy, to take possession of, and to assume power, a title, an attitude, an art, or a task.^[2][6] From Cicero it meant to adopt, choose, claim for oneself, employ, introduce into an argument, and in logic to take for granted, assume a premiss.^[2] It meant to enlist, take as a friend or ally, as in Sallust and Horace, to adopt into a family, and to acquire qualities.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to assume, receive, take, raise.^[7] English assume came in the early 15th century, “to arrogate, take upon oneself”.^[4]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of taking food.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of adding and of assuming a premiss.^[2][5]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of enlisting.^[2][5]
• early 15th century – English assume is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To take in addition, add; to put on.^[2]
2. To take food or drink.^[2]
3. To take as a companion.^[2]
4. To take possession of; to assume power or a role.^[2]
5. To adopt; to claim for oneself.^[2]
6. To enlist; to adopt into a family.^[2]
7. To acquire qualities; to borrow.^[2]
8. (logic) To take for granted.^[2]

Word family

• assūmptiō
• assūmptīvus
• assumptus

Related words

• sūmō
• cōnsūmō
• English assume
• English assumption

References

1. ^ a b c d 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