Etymologically
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consector

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kõːˈsɛk.tɔr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [konˈsɛk.tor][1]

Forms

cōnsector (present infinitive cōnsectārī or cōnsectārier, perfect active cōnsectātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin con- + sector (“to follow eagerly, chase”).[2][1] De Vaan explains sector as made from the old past participle of sequor (“to follow”), which he traces to Proto-Italic *sekʷ-e/o- (“to follow”) and Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-e/o- (“to follow, accompany”).[3] Cognate with Ancient Greek ἕπομαι (hépomai, “to follow”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[3] who has “you who chase after men as well as women”.[2]

Semantic evolution

It means to make for or go after someone, and to try to find or obtain something, as Cicero's “not to seek out more”, and to study, as his readers of Plato who do not pursue such things very eagerly.[2] Pliny the Elder uses it of following an example, as Pythagoras and Democritus followed the Magi in their herbs.[2] It also means to hunt down in order to destroy, as Cicero's consul who hunted down and killed some men in Gaul, and to attack in words, as Cicero's crowd that assailed Fufius with abuse and hissing.[2] Wiktionary also gives “to persecute”.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of chasing men and women.[2][3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of seeking out, hunting down and attacking with abuse.[2][4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of following the Magi.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To go after, pursue, chase.[2][5][1]
  2. To seek to obtain, strive after; to study.[2][5]
  3. To follow the example of, imitate.[2]
  4. To hunt down to destroy; to persecute.[2][1]
  5. To attack in words, inveigh against.[2]

Word family

  • cōnsectāneus
  • cōnsectārius
  • cōnsectātiō
  • cōnsectātor
  • cōnsectātrīx

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press