Etymologically
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commodo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈkɔm.mɔ.doː], [ˈkɔm.mɔ.dɔ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈkɔm.mo.do][1]

Forms

commodō (present infinitive commodāre, perfect active commodāvī, supine commodātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is formed from commodus (“fitting, convenient”) with the verb suffix -ō;[2][3] Wiktionary takes it from the noun commodum (“advantage, convenience”).[1] The adjective is built on modus (“measure”), from Proto-Italic *medo- (“measure”) and Proto-Indo-European *med-o- (“measure”), according to de Vaan.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cato uses it of setting up an olive mill in the De agri cultura,[3] and Plautus prays to Jupiter “who grants good hopes and plenty” in the Persa.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to lend or hire something to another, as in the praetor's edict, “for what anyone is said to have lent, I will grant an action”.[2][3][1] It is to put oneself or something at another's disposal: aurem commodāre is to lend an ear, as Horace's man who lends a patient ear to culture, and manum to lend a hand;[2][3] Seneca has lending one man one's voice and another one's work.[2][3] It is to give or bestow, as in Plautus, and intransitively to oblige or help, as Plautus' “it will be lent, I'll oblige”.[2][1] It is also to fit or adapt, as Cato's mill and Columella's plants.[2][3][1]

Church Latin glosses it “lend, oblige, adapt”.[5]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato of fitting a mill.[3][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of granting and obliging.[2][6]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of lending an ear.[2][6]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca of lending one's voice.[2][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To lend, hire out.[2][3][1][5]
  2. To put at someone's disposal;[2][3] aurem commodāre, to lend an ear.[2][3]
  3. To provide, bestow, give.[2][1]
  4. (intransitive) To oblige, help.[2][5]
  5. To fit, adapt.[2][3][1][5]

Word family

  • accommodō
  • commodatio
  • commodātor
  • commodātum
  • incommodō
  • praecommodo

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes commodāre, to lend without formality, expecting the thing itself back when it is done with, an act of kindness, from mūtuum dare, to lend expecting an equivalent back at the end of the term, a matter of business.[7] The OLD and Lewis and Short also record a rare adverb commodō, apparently “suitably, at the right time”, the ablative of commodus.[2][3][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper