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commoveo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word commoveo

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cato
Ultimate origin
Latin (moveō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈmɔ.we.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈmɔː.ve.o][1]

Forms

commoveō (present infinitive commovēre, perfect active commōvī, supine commōtum); second conjugation[1] Cicero has commōsse for commōvisse, and Lucretius commōrunt.[2]

Etymology

It is from con- and moveō “to move”, perhaps already Proto-Italic ⟨*kommoweō⟩, if Umbrian ⟨comhota⟩ is a cognate.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of stirring up a liquid.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to shake, agitate, as in Terence, to stir up the sea, as in Cato, and in Virgil to make the slightest movement.[2] In Cicero it meant to shift, to rout out, and in Terence to wake.[2] The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of rousing to action, and Cicero of moving, influencing, troubling, arousing emotions, starting a war and raising a question; in Terence it meant to move emotionally.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to move, stir up, excite.[4] It survives in Italian commuovere and Spanish conmover, and was borrowed as English commove; its noun commōtiō gave English commotion in the late 14th century.[1][5]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of stirring up.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of shaking and moving emotionally.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of arousing and starting a war.[2][3]
  • late 14th century – English commotion is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To shake, agitate; to stir up.[2]
  2. To shift; to rout out; to wake.[2]
  3. To rouse to action.[2]
  4. To move, affect emotionally; to trouble.[2]
  5. To arouse (an emotion); to start (a war).[2]
  6. To raise (a question).[2]

Word family

  • commōtiō
  • commōtiuncula
  • commōtō
  • commōtor
  • commōtus

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 k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Commoveo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/commoveo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·