Etymologically
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colo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɔ.ɫoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔː.lo][1]

Forms

colō (present infinitive colere, perfect active coluī, supine cultum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *kʷele/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁-e/o- (“to go round”).[2][1] The original /e/ became /o/ after the initial /kʷ/, and the older vowel is kept in inquilīnus “tenant”.[2][3][4] Wiktionary explains the meaning as moving around a place and so staying or dwelling there.[1]

Cognate with Sanskrit चरति (cárati, “moves, walks”) and Ancient Greek πέλομαι (pélomai, “to move, be”),[2][3][4] and with Ancient Greek τέλος (télos, “end, goal”) and Albanian sjell (“to turn, bring”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Naevius onwards,[2] who has someone urged to honour his fathers and country at home rather than earn disgrace abroad.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to live in or inhabit a place, as Plautus' gods “who dwell in heaven”, and the gods were said to dwell in the places they protected.[3] It meant to till or cultivate land, as in Cato, to look after or tend things, and to adorn.[3]

From tending came honouring: to worship the gods, as in Cicero, to cultivate a person's friendship, to practise religion, to observe laws and duties, and to foster a study or pursuit.[3] Its derivatives colōnus “farmer, settler”, colōnia “settlement”, cultus and cultūra gave English colony, cult and culture.[2][5]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it for honouring one's fathers and country.[3][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for gods dwelling in heaven.[3][6]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it for cultivating a farm.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for worshipping the gods.[3][6]
  • mid-15th century – English culture comes from its derivative cultura.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To live in, inhabit.[3][1]
  2. (of gods) To dwell in, watch over (a place).[3]
  3. To till, cultivate (land).[3][7]
  4. To look after, tend.[3][1]
  5. To adorn, decorate.[3]
  6. To worship, honour.[3][1]
  7. To cultivate (a person), court.[3]
  8. To practise (religion); to observe (laws, duties).[3]
  9. To foster, pursue (a study).[3]

Word family

  • cultūra
  • excolō
  • incolātus
  • recolō
  • accolō
  • circumcolō
  • colōnus
  • culta
  • anculus
  • inquilīnus
  • English culture
  • English cult
  • English colony

Usage notes

A different verb, cōlāre with a long o, from cōlum “strainer”, means to strain or filter; it appears in Columella and Pliny.[3][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 s t Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b 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
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press