Etymologically
Log in

consterno

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 19 October 2026 at 17:20. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

consterno1 strew

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kõːˈstɛr.noː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [konˈstɛr.no][1]

Forms

cōnsternō (present infinitive cōnsternere, perfect active cōnstrāvī, supine cōnstrātum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

The verb “to strew” is from Latin con- + sternō (“to spread, strew”).[2][1] The verb sternō goes back to Proto-Italic *sterna- and Proto-Indo-European *st(e)r-n-h₃- (“to spread, strew”).[3] Cognate with Old Irish sernaid (“spreads”), Sanskrit स्तृणाति (stṛṇā́ti, “spreads out, strews”) and Ancient Greek στόρνυμι (stórnumi, “to spread”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Ennius,[3] who has “the tall fir is laid low”.[2]

Semantic evolution

It means to cover by strewing, as in Cicero's forum strewn with bodies and his roads covered with spilt grain, and to spread a couch with rugs.[2] It is also to cover or pave, as Cato's trenches lined with stone and Caesar's tents covered with turf, and in Hirtius a marsh covered with bridges.[2][4] In Ennius it is to lay low, and it is also used of calming the sea.[2]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius of a felled fir.[2][3][5]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato of lining trenches with stone.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a forum strewn with bodies.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar of tents covered with turf.[4][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To cover by strewing, strew, spread.[2][4][1]
  2. To cover, pave, line.[2][4][1]
  3. To lay low, fell; to calm the sea.[2]

Word family

  • cōnstrātum
  • constrator

consterno2 dismay

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kõːˈstɛr.noː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [konˈstɛr.no][1]

Forms

cōnsternō (present infinitive cōnsternāre, perfect active cōnsternāvī, supine cōnsternātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

The verb “to dismay” is perhaps from Latin cōnsternō1 (“to strew, lay low”), remade as a verb of the first conjugation;[2][1] Lewis & Short call it a strengthened form of it.[4] How its ⟨-nā-⟩ arose is disputed: Schrijver posits a thematic present ⟨*-n-h₃-ie/o-⟩, while Meiser starts from the full grade of a nasal suffix.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Pacuvius,[3] who has “by what plan is he thrown into dismay?”[2]

Semantic evolution

It means to throw into confusion, shock or dismay, and to drive frantic, as in Valerius Maximus.[2] With ad it is to drive someone to something by fear or another emotion, as in Livy's crowd of conspirators driven to arms.[2] Lewis & Short also give the sense “to lay on the ground, overcome”, as in Livy's Gauls cut down like cattle.[4] Mela uses ⟨cōnsternere⟩ in this sense, of a cave so wonderful that it overwhelms the minds of those who approach.[2]

Timeline

  • 220–130 BC – Pacuvius of a man thrown into dismay.[2][3][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of conspirators driven to arms.[2][5]
  • 43/44 AD – Mela of a cave that overwhelms the mind.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To throw into confusion, dismay, alarm, terrify.[2][4][1]
  2. To drive frantic.[2]
  3. To drive to something by fear.[2]

Word family

  • cōnsternātiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 s t u v Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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 e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de