Etymologically
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comminiscor

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔm.mɪˈniːs.kɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kom.miˈnis.kor][1]

Forms

comminīscor (present infinitive comminīscī, perfect active commentus sum); third conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

It is from con- and an unattested ⟨miniscor⟩, seen also in reminīscor and related to meminī “to remember”.[2][1][3] Wiktionary takes it from an inchoative form of Proto-Indo-European *mn̥yétor, from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to think”), though the details are uncertain.[1] An active ⟨comminīscō⟩ is also found.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of contriving, as comminīscī mendācium “to make up a lie”.[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to think up, contrive, devise, invent, as in Plautus, and in Martial of things.[2] It meant to fabricate a falsehood, as in Gellius, and in Lucilius to allege falsely, pretend.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to invent, contrive.[6] Its participle commentum “invention”, in Late Latin “comment, interpretation”, gave English comment in the late 14th century.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of contriving lies.[2][4][5]
  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of pretending.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English comment is recorded, from commentum.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To think up, contrive, invent.[2]
  2. To fabricate a falsehood.[2]
  3. To allege falsely, pretend.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com