Etymologically
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deploro

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 16:03. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [deːˈpɫoː.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈplɔː.ro][1]

Forms

dēplōrō (present infinitive dēplōrāre, perfect active dēplōrāvī, supine dēplōrātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from dē- and plōrō “to wail”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of lamenting.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to lament, complain of, deplore, and to mourn a dead person, as in Cicero, and in Livy to despair of, give up for lost.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to deplore, grieve over.[5] It survives in Italian deplorare and French déplorer, and through French it gave English deplore in the 1550s, first meaning “to give up as hopeless”.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of lamenting.[2][4]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of despairing.[2][4]
  • 1550s – English deplore is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To lament, deplore; to mourn.[2]
  2. To despair of.[2]

Word family

  • dēplōrābundus
  • dēplōrātiō
  • indēplōrātus

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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson