combino

Forms

combīnō (present infinitive combīnāre, perfect active combīnāvī, supine combīnātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is a Late Latin formation from con- and bīnī (“two each, in pairs”).^[1][2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL's first example is in the treatise on fortifying a camp ascribed to Hyginus, where two cohorts are drawn up so that the army can march out joined in pairs.^[3] Zeno of Verona has it of things brought together into one sum.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

The glossaries render it with Greek verbs of yoking and joining.^[2][3] Augustine tells of companions walking about two by two (combinati).^[2][3][6] The grammarian Diomedes and Sidonius Apollinaris use it too.^[7][6]

Medieval writers used it for tying things in pairs, placing them side by side, yoking men like oxen to a plough, and in philosophy, theology and music for combining.^[8] In British sources it also meant grouped in pairs and to compile.^[9] Through Old French combiner and directly from Late Latin it gave English combine (early 15th century).^[4]

Timeline

• before 380 AD – Zeno of Verona uses it of things brought together.^[3][5]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine writes of companions walking two by two.^[2][3][5]
• c. 431–486 AD – Sidonius Apollinaris uses the participle.^[2][5]
• early 15th century – Borrowed into English as combine.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. (Late Latin) To combine, unite, join (properly, two things).^[2][7][6]
2. (Late Latin) To bring together into one total.^[3]
3. (Medieval Latin) To join in pairs, couple; to yoke together.^[8][9]
4. (Medieval Latin) To compile.^[9]

Word family

• combīnātiō

Related words

• English combine

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press