Etymologically
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delino

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdeː.lɪ.noː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdɛː.li.no][1]

Forms

dēlinō (present infinitive dēlinere, perfect active dēlīvī, supine dēlitum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from dē- and linō “to smear”.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cicero, of obliterating by smudging.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to smear, daub, anoint, as in Celsus: “the patient must be smeared with gypsum or litharge”.[2][4] In Varro dēlitus was said of pigs daubed with the owner's mark, and in Cicero it meant to obliterate by smudging, as a by-form of dēleō.[2][5] Lewis & Short call it very rare.[4]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses dēlitus of marked pigs.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of obliterating.[2][3]
  • 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of smearing.[4][3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To smear, daub, anoint.[2]
  2. To obliterate by smudging.[2]

Word family

  • dēlitor

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.