cruento

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kruˈɛn.toː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kruˈɛn.to]^[1]

Forms

cruentō (present infinitive cruentāre, perfect active cruentāvī, supine cruentātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from cruentus “bloody” with the verb suffix -ō; ⟨cruentus⟩ is from cruor “blood”, which de Vaan traces to Proto-Indo-European *kruh₂-ōs (“blood”).^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, vigilēs cruentant “they wound the sentries”.^[2][4] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to cause to bleed, wound, as in Ennius; to stain with blood, as in Cicero; and to soak or spatter with any liquid, as in Lucretius.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to lash, torment, make bloody.^[6] It survives in Italian cruentare and Romanian încrunta.^[1]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^[2][5]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of spattering.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of staining with blood.^[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To stain with blood, make bloody.^[2]
2. To make bleed, wound.^[2]
3. To soak, bespatter.^[2]

Word family

• cruentatio
• incruentātus

Related words

• cruentē
• cruenter
• cruentus
• cruor
• crūdus

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson