comprobo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkɔm.prɔ.boː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔm.pro.bo]^[1]

Forms

comprobō (present infinitive comprobāre, perfect active comprobāvī, supine comprobātum); first conjugation^[1] Also spelled conprobō.^[2]

Etymology

It is from con- “wholly” and probō “to approve, prove”, from probus “good”.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨probus⟩ to Proto-Italic *pro-f(w)-o- (“favourable”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of bearing out a person's integrity.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bear out, confirm, justify, as in Plautus; to prove the truth of, confirm, as in Cicero; to accept as true; and to express approval, approve, as in Cicero's tuam sententiam comprobō “I approve your opinion”.^[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to prove, approve, establish.^[6] It survives in Italian comprovare and Spanish comprobar.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of proving and approving.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To bear out, confirm, justify.^[2]
2. To prove.^[2]
3. To accept as true; to approve.^[2]

Word family

• comprobātiō
• comprobātor

Related words

• probō
• probus
• approbō

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 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 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