describo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [deːsˈkriː.boː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [desˈkriː.bo]^[1]

Forms

dēscrībō (present infinitive dēscrībere, perfect active dēscrīpsī, supine dēscrīptum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dē- (“down”) + scrībō (“to write”).^[2][1] The verb scrībō is inherited from Proto-Italic *skreif-e/o- (“to carve”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *skreibʰ-e/o- (“to carve”).^[3] Manuscripts and editions often confuse it with dīscrībō “to distribute”.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it twice: a painter could not have drawn a figure more truly, and a good man describes bad ways well.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to represent by drawing, to mark out, to record in writing, and to copy out a text.^[2][4] From this it meant to describe in speech or writing, and to lay down laws, rights and duties.^[2] Lewis and Short note that the sense “to copy” is frequent in Cicero, who speaks of a friend copying a book.^[4]

It survives in Italian descrivere, French décrire and Spanish describir.^[1] Old French descrivre gave English describe, first “interpret” in the mid-13th century and “represent in words” about 1300.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of drawing and of describing.^[2][5]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of writing down the deeds of the Roman people.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of copying a book.^[4][5]
• c. 1300 – English describe “represent in words” is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To draw, mark out.^[2]
2. To write down, record.^[2]
3. To copy out, transcribe.^[2][4]
4. To describe, represent in words.^[2]
5. To lay down, prescribe (laws, rights, duties).^[2]

Word family

• dēscrīptiō
• dēscrīptor
• indēscriptus
• dēscrīptus

Related words

• dīscrībō
• scrībō
• English describe
• English description

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com