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demoveo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word demoveo

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*mewh₁-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin moveo
Latin demoveo
Latin amoveo
Latin permoveo
Latin admoveo
Latin dimoveo

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [deːˈmɔ.we.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈmɔː.ve.o][1]

Forms

dēmoveō (present infinitive dēmovēre, perfect active dēmōvī, supine dēmōtum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dē- (“away”) + moveō (“to move”).[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨moveō⟩ to Proto-Italic *mow(a)-, from Proto-Indo-European *mi̯ewh₁- (“to move”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus and Terence, of diverting someone from an opinion.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make leave a position, dislodge, remove, as in Cicero's dēmovērī dē locō and ex possessiōne, and to turn one's eyes away; to divert from an opinion or state of mind, as in Plautus; and to get rid of, banish abstract things, as in Cicero.[2][5] Lewis & Short note it is often confused with dīmoveō in manuscripts.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to remove, move away.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of removing.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To dislodge, remove; to turn away (the eyes).[2]
  2. To divert, turn aside (from an opinion).[2]
  3. To get rid of, banish.[2]

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. ^ 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 c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Demoveo.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/demoveo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·