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aucto

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word aucto

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin augeō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin augeo
Latin aucto
From the same root
Latin adaugeo ← augeo
Latin auctor ← augeo
Latin auctus ← augeo
Latin augesco ← augeo
Latin augmen ← augeo

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈau̯k.toː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈau̯k.to][1]

Forms

auctō (present infinitive auctāre, perfect active auctāvī, supine auctātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is a frequentative, from Latin augeō (“to increase”) + -tō,[2][1] formed on the participle auctus according to the TLL, which cites the grammarian Sacerdos for it.[3] De Vaan traces augeō to Proto-Indo-European *h2eug-eie-, from the root Proto-Indo-European *h2eug-s- (“to grow”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found first in the prologue of Plautus' Amphitruo, where the audience are wished prosperity bonō atque amplō auctāre perpetuō lucrō, “to increase with good, ample and lasting profit”.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

Lewis and Short know it perhaps only from three passages.[5] Lucretius uses it of nature, which creates, increases and nourishes all things,[5][6] and Catullus has the wish that Jupiter may bless someone with good help (bonā Iuppiter auctet ope).[5][3] Georges explains it as increasing more and more, and so as enriching.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of increasing profit.[3][8]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of nature increasing all things.[5][8]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of Jupiter blessing with help.[5][8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To make grow, increase greatly, augment.[2][5]
  2. (with ablative) To prosper, bless or enrich with.[2][7]

Word family

  • adauctō

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Aucto.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/aucto. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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