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delenio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word delenio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (lēnis)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin lenio
Latin lenimentum
Latin lenimen
Latin delenio

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [deːˈɫeː.ni.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [deˈlɛː.ni.o][1]

Forms

dēlēniō (present infinitive dēlēnīre, perfect active dēlēnīvī, supine dēlēnītum); fourth conjugation[1] Also spelled dēlīniō.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is from Latin dē- + lēniō (“to soothe”);[2][1] the TLL relates it to lēnis (“soft, gentle”), comparing lēna and lēnō.[4] De Vaan traces that adjective to Proto-Indo-European *leh1-n(o/i)- (“lazy, slow”), comparing Lithuanian lė́nas (“lazy”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL finds it from Plautus on,[4] who has a speaker in the Stichus plan to soothe a man with words.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to soothe, mollify or cajole, and to soothe feelings, as Cicero speaks of allaying fear.[2] It is also to weaken someone's resistance, to charm or bewitch: in the Amphitruo a speaker says they have been so charmed they no longer know who they are, and Titinius has men won over by dowries.[2][3] Servius gives it as the meaning of mulcēre.[4] Wiktionary also gives to corrupt or bribe.[1] It is very often spelled dēlīniō in manuscripts and glosses.[4][3] Church Latin glosses it soften, soothe, charm.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of soothing and charming.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of allaying fear.[2]
  • c. 400 AD – Servius.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To soothe, mollify, cajole; to mitigate.[2][3][1][6]
  2. To charm, win over, bewitch, entice.[2][3][1][6]
  3. To corrupt, bribe.[1]

Word family

  • dēlēnificus
  • dēlēnīmentum
  • dēlēnītor

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Delenio.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/delenio. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·