circumsisto

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɪr.kũːˈsɪs.toː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [t͡ʃir.kumˈsis.to]^[1]

Forms

circumsistō (present infinitive circumsistere, perfect active circumstetī or circumstitī); third conjugation, no supine stem^[1] Its perfect is circumstetī (rarely circumstitī), shared with circumstō.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin circum- (“around”) + sistō (“to stand, set”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨sistō⟩ to Proto-Italic *sista/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *sti-sth₂- (“to put up, make stand”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus' Asinaria.^[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to gather or stand round, crowd round, surround, as in Plautus, Caesar and Virgil, and in Apuleius to be on either side in degree.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to surround.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of surrounding.^[2][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it.^[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To gather or stand round, crowd round, surround.^[2]
2. To be on either side (in degree).^[2]

Related words

• sistō
• circumstō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson