circumligo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɪrˈkʊm.lɪ.ɡoː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [t͡ʃirˈkum.li.ɡo]^[1]

Forms

circumligō (present infinitive circumligāre, perfect active circumligāvī, supine circumligātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin circum- (“around”) + ligō (“to tie”).^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨ligō⟩ as Proto-Italic *-lig-ā-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *liǵ- (“to tie”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of binding round.^[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bind round, surround, encircle, as in Cato and Cicero; to attach by an encircling cord, as in Virgil, where Metabus ties his daughter to the middle of his spear (nātam mediae circumligat hastae), and Pliny; and to wrap round, put on a bandage, as in Celsus.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to bind up or around.^[7]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of tying to a spear.^[5][4]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of bandages.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To bind round, encircle.^[2]
2. To attach, fasten with an encircling cord.^[2]
3. To wrap round, put on (a bandage).^[2]

Related words

• ligō
• dēligō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson