Etymologically
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condio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word condio

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɔn.di.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔn.di.o][1]

Forms

condiō (present infinitive condīre, perfect active condīvī or condiī, supine condītum); fourth conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is probably derived from condō “to put away, store up”, used of storing food, remade as a fourth-conjugation verb by analogy with some other verb, which is not known.[2][3] Wiktionary suggests it came through condus “storekeeper”, and the TLL compares both.[1][4] Lewis and Short think it began in the language of housekeeping.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, whose cook boasts that he does not season a dinner as other cooks do.[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to season or flavour food and wine, and also to preserve, to pickle in vinegar, brine or spices, as Cato's recipes for olives.[3][7] Cicero uses it of the Egyptians who embalm their dead.[3][7] Figuratively it was to make pleasant, give zest to, as Cicero says two things season a speech, the charm of words and of rhythm.[3]

Its noun condīmentum “seasoning, sauce” gave English condiment through French in the mid-15th century.[8] It survives in Italian condire “to season”.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has a cook boast of his seasoning.[3][6]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato gives a recipe for pickling olives.[7][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of seasoning a speech and of the Egyptians embalming their dead.[3][7][6]
  • mid-15th century – English condiment is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To season, flavour (food, wine).[3]
  2. To pickle, preserve; to embalm.[3][7]
  3. (figurative) To make pleasant, give zest to.[3]

Word family

  • condīmentum
  • condītāneus
  • condītārius
  • condītūra
  • praecondio

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Condio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/condio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·