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confero

Etymology and origin of the Latin word confero

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (ferō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkõː.fɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔɱ.fe.ro][1]

Forms

cōnferō (present infinitive cōnferre, perfect active contulī, supine collātum); third conjugation, suppletive[1] The perfect is contulī and the participle collātus (conlātus).[2]

Etymology

It is from con- “together” and ferō “to carry”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of bringing and of betaking oneself.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bring, carry, convey, and reflexively to betake oneself, go over to a side, as in Plautus.[2] From Plautus it also meant to direct weapons or words, to bestow benefits, and to change into something else; in Terence to devote one's efforts.[2] In Accius it meant to bring together, collect, in Nepos to contribute to a common fund, and in Celsus to help towards a result.[2] In Cicero it meant to discuss, confer, and to compare, as ratiōnēs cōnferre “to compare accounts”, and to bring together in battle, as signa cōnferre “to engage”; in Livy to match oneself against another.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to grant, confer, collect, compare.[6] Through Old French it gave English confer in the 1530s; its imperative cōnfer “compare” is abbreviated English cf., and the participle collātus gave English collate.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of bringing and bestowing.[2][4]
  • 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it of collecting.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of discussing and comparing.[2][4]
  • 1530s – English confer is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring, carry; reflexively, to betake oneself.[2]
  2. To direct (weapons, words).[2]
  3. To devote (effort, time).[2]
  4. To bestow; to assign.[2]
  5. To bring together, collect; to contribute.[2]
  6. To discuss, confer.[2]
  7. To compare.[2]
  8. To bring together in battle; to match (oneself) against.[2]

Word family

  • collātīcius
  • collātiō
  • collātīvus
  • collātor
  • collātus

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes simple ferō, carrying something portable, from portāre, carrying a load.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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. ^ 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
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
Cite this entry

“Confero.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/confero. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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