Etymologically
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audio

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈau̯.di.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaːu̯.di.o][1]

Forms

audiō (present infinitive audīre, perfect active audīvī or audiī, supine audītum); fourth conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *awizdje/o- (“to hear”).[2] De Vaan, following Pedersen and Solmsen, takes this as a compound of Proto-Indo-European *h₂eu-is (“clearly, manifestly”) and Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁-ie/o- (“to render”), so “to make manifest”, which best explains both audīre and oboedīre “to obey”.[2][1] Wiktionary derives the first part from a root Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- (“to see, perceive”).[1]

Cognate with Sanskrit आविस् (āvíṣ, “evidently”), Ancient Greek ἀΐω (aḯō, “to perceive, hear”) and Ancient Greek αἰσθάνομαι (aisthánomai, “to perceive”), and with Hittite au-i / u- (“to see, look”).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Livius Andronicus onwards.[2] In Plautus a man complains “my head aches, I can't hear, I can't see properly”.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hear, to have the use of one's ears, and to hear a voice or sound, then to hear with understanding.[3] With bene or male it meant to be well or badly spoken of.[3] It meant to listen to a teacher or a lecture, to give an audience to someone, to learn or be told of something, and to know only by hearsay.[3]

It meant to pay attention to, to heed, to follow someone's advice or orders, and audio alone meant “I agree, very well”.[3] Döderlein contrasts it, as hearing as a passive sensation, with auscultāre, to listen on purpose.[4] English audience comes from its derivative audientia, and audio was formed from it in 1934.[5]

Timeline

  • 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.[2][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of hearing.[3][6]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses audio as “very well”.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of hearing a speaker's words.[3][6]
  • late 14th century – English audience comes from its derivative audientia.[5]
  • 1934 – English audio is formed from it.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hear, to be able to hear.[3][1]
  2. To hear (a voice, a sound, a person).[3]
  3. To hear with understanding.[3]
  4. bene (male) audire: to be well (badly) spoken of.[3]
  5. To listen to (a teacher, a lecture); to give an audience to.[3][1]
  6. To learn, be told of; to know by hearsay.[3][1]
  7. To heed, pay attention to.[3][1]
  8. To follow the advice of, obey.[3][1]
  9. audio: I agree, very well.[3]

Word family

  • audībilis
  • audientia
  • audītiō
  • audito
  • audītor
  • audītus
  • coaudiō
  • exaudiō
  • inaudiō
  • inaudītus
  • obaudiō
  • oboediō
  • audītiuncula
  • audītōriālis
  • audītōrium
  • audītōrius
  • auscultō
  • auris
  • English audience
  • English audio

Usage notes

Döderlein separates audire, hearing as a mere sensation, from auscultare, hearing attentively by an act of will.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de