contestor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔnˈtɛs.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [konˈtɛs.tor]^[1]

Forms

contestor (present infinitive contestārī, perfect active contestātus sum); first conjugation, deponent^[1]

Etymology

It is from con- and testor “to call to witness”, from testis “witness”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, and Cicero has deōs hominēsque contestārī “to call gods and men to witness”.^[2][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to call to witness, and with ut to appeal to the gods.^[2] In law lītem contestārī was to join issue, the formal opening of a lawsuit, when both parties called witnesses.^[2][6]

It survives in Italian contestare and Spanish contestar.^[1] Through French contester it gave English contest about 1600, first “to fight for, strive to win”.^[6]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[2][5]
• c. 1600 – English contest is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To call to witness.^[2]
2. (law) lītem contestārī, to join issue.^[2]

Word family

• contestātiō

Related words

• testor
• testis
• English contest

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com