Etymologically
Log in

communico

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 11:14. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈmuː.nɪ.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈmuː.ni.ko][1]

Forms

commūnicō (present infinitive commūnicāre, perfect active commūnicāvī, supine commūnicātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from commūnis “common, shared” with the suffix -icō.[2][1][3] Livy may have a deponent form.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of taking a share in something with another.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to share something with someone, as Cicero's friendship that lightens adversity by dividing and sharing it, to take a share in, and to make someone a sharer.[2][6] It meant to share out, to unite one's own with another's, and to impart information or knowledge, as in Terence.[2] It meant to discuss together, plan in concert, as in Caesar, and to make something generally accessible, as in Vitruvius.[2]

In Christian Latin it meant to partake, receive communion, and it gave Spanish comulgar and Portuguese comungar “to take communion”.[7][1] English communicate was borrowed in the 1520s, and English communication comes from commūnicātiō.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of taking a share.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of imparting information.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of planning together.[2][5]
  • 1520s – English communicate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To share (with); to take a share in.[2]
  2. To share out.[2]
  3. To unite, link.[2]
  4. To impart, communicate.[2]
  5. To discuss, plan together.[2]
  6. To make generally accessible.[2]
  7. (Ecclesiastical Latin) To receive communion.[7]

Word family

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