delecto

Pronunciation

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

Forms

dēlectō (present infinitive dēlectāre, perfect active dēlectāvī, supine dēlectātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dē- + lactō (“to entice”).^[2][1] Lewis & Short and Georges treat it as an intensive of dēliciō.^[3][4] Lactō belongs with laciō “to entice”, from Proto-Italic *lak- (“to draw, pull”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ennius has “Apollo himself lures me, draws me on”.^[2][3] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was to lure or entice, as Ennius' Apollo and Cato's sheep kept on the land to be sown.^[2] Lewis & Short note it is only ante-classical in this sense.^[3] From this it came to mean to delight, charm, amuse, as the flute-player in Plautus, and of things to please, as Cicero's man whom civil war delights.^[2]

In the passive it meant to take pleasure, as Petronius' woman who laughed with delight.^[2] Romance kept it, as Italian dilettare, and English delight came from it through Old French around 1200.^[1][7]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it in the sense “to lure”.^[2][6]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of keeping sheep on a field.^[2][6]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a flute-player who entertains.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of things that please.^[2][6]
• c. 1200 – English delight is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To lure, entice.^[2][3]
2. To delight, charm, amuse.^[2][1]
3. (of things) To please.^[2][1]
4. (passive) To take pleasure.^[2]

Related words

• delicio
• English delight
• English delectable

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com