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assumo

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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

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