Etymologically
Log in

commentor

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 17:50. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈmɛn.tɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈmɛn.tor][1]

Forms

commentor (present infinitive commentārī, perfect active commentātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

The verb is a frequentative of comminīscor “to devise, contrive” with the suffix ⟨-tō⟩, and the noun is from the same verb with the agent suffix -tor.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations for the verb are from Plautus, “to think about, practise”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

The verb meant to think about, ponder, and to study beforehand, practise, prepare, as in Plautus; in Suetonius to discuss, and in Pliny the Elder to write, compose.[2] The noun meant a deviser, inventor, and Ovid calls Bacchus the commentor ūvae “inventor of the grape”.[2][4]

British Medieval Latin used the noun for a deviser of falsehood, a liar.[5] Through Medieval Latin commentāre the verb gave English comment in the early 15th century, “to expound, make notes upon”, and its derivative commentārius gave English commentary.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the verb.[2][3]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses the noun of Bacchus.[2][3]
  • early 15th century – English comment (verb) is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To think about, ponder.[2]
  2. To prepare, practise.[2]
  3. To discuss; to write, compose.[2]

Noun

  1. A deviser, inventor.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ 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
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com