circumfero

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɪrˈkũː.fɛ.roː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [t͡ʃirˈkum.fe.ro]^[1]

Forms

circumferō (present infinitive circumferre, perfect active circumtulī, supine circumlātum); third conjugation, suppletive^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin circum- (“around”) + ferō (“to carry”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨ferō⟩ to Proto-Italic *fere/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-e/o- (“to carry”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Among the OLD's earliest citations is Cato, of carrying ritual objects round for purification, and Plautus uses it of passing food and drink round a company.^[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC and Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to carry or move round in a circle, as in Virgil; to carry round in a circuit, the present participle being used in geometry of a point tracing a circle, as in Pliny; to carry ritual objects round in purification, as in Cato and Virgil; to pass food or drink round; and to carry round for show or sale, as in Seneca.^[2][5] Gaffiot quotes Virgil's ter Trōius hērōs immānem aerātō circumfert tegmine silicem.^[6]

Figuratively it meant to spread around war, fire or terror, as in Livy and Tacitus, and in Ecclesiastical Latin to carry about, divulge.^[5][7] Its noun circumferentia gave circumference.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of passing things round.^[2][4]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of ritual purification.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of moving round.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To carry or move round in a circle, (passive) to revolve.^[2]
2. To carry round on a circular course, (present participle, geometry) tracing a circle.^[2]
3. (religion) To carry ritual objects round a person or place to purify it.^[2]
4. To pass food, drink or other things round a company.^[2]
5. To carry round to show off, for sale or as an example.^[2]
6. To spread around (war, fire, terror), (Ecclesiastical Latin) to divulge.^[5][7]

Word family

• circumferentia
• circumlaticius
• circumlātiō
• circumlator
• circumlātus

Related words

• adferō
• afferō
• auferō
• cōnferō
• dēferō
• differō
• efferō
• ferō
• īnferō
• intrōferō
• circus

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c 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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson