Etymologically
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decet

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdɛ.kɛt][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdɛː.t͡ʃet][1]

Forms

decet (present infinitive decēre, perfect active decuit, supine decitum); second conjugation, third person-only, no passive[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *dek-ē- (“fits, is right”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ-eh₁-, a stative of the root Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to receive, accept”).[2][1] Cognate with Umbrian tiçit (“it is fitting”), Ancient Greek δέχομαι (dékhomai, “to receive”) and Sanskrit दक्षति (dákṣati, “is able”).[3] The same root gives decus “honour”, dignus “worthy” and decor “beauty”, whose long /ō/ passed to decōrus.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius.[2] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to add grace to, adorn, become, as Plautus says that whatever she wears becomes her.[3] Impersonally it meant “it is becoming”, and then “it is fitting, proper, right”, of what agrees with accepted standards of taste or conduct.[3] Cicero discusses the word: decēre is what is fitting, and it is used only in the third person.[4][2]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus says whatever she wears becomes her.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero discusses what is fitting.[4][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To adorn, become, suit.[3]
  2. (impersonal) It is becoming, seemly.[3]
  3. (impersonal) It is fitting, proper, right.[3]

Word family

  • addecet
  • condecet
  • decentia
  • decibilis
  • decor
  • decus
  • dēdecet
  • indeceō
  • decens

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c 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