Etymologically

compareo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word compareo

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (pāreō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈpaː.re.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈpaː.re.o][1]

Forms

compāreō (present infinitive compārēre, perfect active compāruī, supine compāritum); second conjugation, no passive[1] Also spelled conpāreō.[2]

Etymology

It is from con- and pāreō “to appear, be visible”.[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic *pās-ē- for ⟨pāreō⟩, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-s- (“to watch”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to be found, be seen, as in Plautus; with nōn, to be missing, disappear, as in Cicero's Pompēius nōn compāret “Pompey does not show himself”; to appear, show oneself, as in Lucretius; and to be forthcoming, be realised, as in Plautus.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to appear, be present.[6] It survives in French comparaître and Spanish comparecer.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of appearing.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses nōn compārēre.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To be found, be visible; to appear.[2]
  2. nōn compārēre To be missing.[2]
  3. To be forthcoming.[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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Compareo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/compareo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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