Etymologically
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benedico

Etymology and origin of the Latin word benedico

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (bene,dīcō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [bɛ.nɛˈdiː.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [be.neˈdiː.ko][1]

Forms

benedīcō (present infinitive benedīcere, perfect active benedīxī, supine benedictum); third conjugation, irregular short imperative[1]

Etymology

It is from bene “well” and dīcō “to say”, and in Classical Latin it is always written ⟨bene dīcō⟩, separately.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of speaking well of and kindly to someone.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it meant to speak well of, commend, as in Cicero and Ovid, and to speak kindly to, as in Plautus.[2][5]

In Christian Latin it came to mean to bless, praise, and in Ecclesiastical Latin it is “to bless, praise”.[6][7] It survives in Italian benedire, French bénir, Spanish bendecir and Portuguese benzer.[1] English benediction comes from its noun benedictiō “a blessing” about 1400.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of speaking well of someone.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of commending.[5][4]
  • c. 1400 – English benediction is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To speak well of, commend.[2]
  2. To speak kindly to.[2]
  3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) To bless; to praise.[6]

Word family

  • benedīcibilis
  • benedictiō
  • benedicus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Benedico.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/benedico. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·