Etymologically
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denego

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdeː.nɛ.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdɛː.ne.ɡo][1]

Forms

dēnegō (present infinitive dēnegāre, perfect active dēnegāvī, supine dēnegātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from dē- “thoroughly” and negō “to deny”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of refusing, and Plautus also uses it of denying that what was given was given.[2][4][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to deny a fact or charge, as Plautus' datum dēnegant quod datum est and Tacitus' charges denied, a sense Lewis and Short call very rare.[2][4][5] Far more often, from Plautus, it meant to refuse a request or favour.[2][4] Döderlein explains that negāre denies on objective grounds, while īnfitiārī denies from a wish to conceal.[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to deny, refuse, reject.[8] It survives in Italian dinegare and French dénier, and Old French denoiir gave English deny in the early 14th century.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of refusing and denying.[2][5][6]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of denying charges.[4][6]
  • early 14th century – English deny is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To deny (a fact).[2]
  2. To refuse (a request).[2]

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes negō, to deny on objective grounds, from īnfitior, to deny in order to conceal.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson