Etymologically
Log in

convenio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word convenio

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (veniō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔnˈwɛ.ni.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [koɱˈvɛː.ni.o][1]

Forms

conveniō (present infinitive convenīre, perfect active convēnī, supine conventum); fourth conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Italic *komgʷəniō, by surface analysis con- “together” and veniō “to come”.[1][2] Cognate with Oscan kumbened (“it was agreed”).[2][3] Plautus has a future ⟨convenībō⟩, and Cato the spelling ⟨coveniātis⟩.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

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

Semantic evolution

It meant to come together, assemble, as Caesar's cavalry, to meet, of communities to gather for legal business, and in law in manum convenīre of a wife passing under her husband's control.[2][5] It meant to visit, approach a person, and in Ulpian to sue.[2] Of things it meant to converge, of lines to meet.[2] From Plautus it meant to agree, be on good terms, to fit, harmonize, be fitting, as convenit “it is fitting, it is agreed”.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to agree, assemble, summon, be suitable, unite.[6] Through Old French convenir it gave English convene in the early 15th century, and its present participle in Old French gave English covenant.[7] It survives in Italian convenire and French and Spanish convenir.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of meeting and agreeing.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of fitting and of marriage.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of assembling.[5][4]
  • early 15th century – English convene is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To assemble, meet, convene, in manum convenīre, to marry.[2]
  2. To visit, (law) to sue.[2]
  3. To converge, meet.[2]
  4. To agree; to be on good terms.[2]
  5. To fit; to harmonize; to befit, convenit, it is fitting.[2]
  6. (impersonal) To be agreed.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Convenio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/convenio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·