dico

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈdiː.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdiː.ko]^[1]

Forms

dīcō (present infinitive dīcere, perfect active dīxī, supine dictum); third conjugation, irregular short imperative^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *deik-e/o- (“to say”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *déyḱeti (“to show, point out”).^[2][1] The meaning shifted from “to show” to “to say”, and the old spelling deico appears in early inscriptions such as the decree on the Bacchanalia.^[2][3][1] The perfect dīxī continues a Proto-Indo-European s-aorist.^[2][1]

Cognate with Oscan deíkum (“to say”), Umbrian teitu (“let him say”), Sanskrit दिशति (diśáti, “points out”), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi, “to show”) and Old English tǣċan (“to show, teach”).^[2][3][1] The root noun *-dik- “saying” is seen in iūdex and vindex, and Oscan meddíss (“magistrate”) is a parallel formation.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius onwards.^[2] In Plautus it means to speak or talk, as of someone who “speaks harshly to a free man”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The verb covered speaking in general and making a speech in court or assembly, and Cato defined the orator as vir bonus dicendi peritus.^[3] It meant to say or state something, with indirect statement, question or command, and in law to allege or assert positively.^[3] It also meant to use a word or term, to pronounce, to mention, to celebrate in poetry, and to mean or refer to.^[3][4]

With a predicate it meant to call or name someone, and in public life to appoint, as in dictator dictus est.^[3] It was used of fixing a day or terms and of naming a dowry.^[3] It survives as French dire, Italian dire and Romanian zice,^[1] and its participle dictum gave English dictum and, through Italian, English ditto.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[2][6]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for speaking and telling.^[3][6]
• 186 BC – The decree on the Bacchanalia writes it deicere.^[2]
• 234–149 BC – Cato defines the orator as a good man skilled in speaking.^[3][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero distinguishes dicere “to speak formally” from loqui “to talk”.^[3][6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To speak, talk; to make a speech.^[3][7]
2. To say, declare, state; to tell (someone to do something).^[3]
3. (law) To allege; to assert positively.^[3]
4. To use (a word); to pronounce.^[3]
5. To utter; to sing or recite (a song).^[3]
6. To speak of, mention; to celebrate in song.^[3]
7. To mean, refer to.^[3]
8. To call, name.^[3]
9. To fix, prescribe (a day, terms, a penalty); to appoint (a magistrate).^[3]
10. To promise (a dowry).^[3]

Word family

• addīcō
• benedīcō
• condīcō
• contrādīcō
• dictiō
• dictō
• dictum
• ēdīcō
• indīcō
• interdīcō
• maledīcō
• praedīcō
• valedīcō

Related words

• iūdex
• vindex
• English diction
• English ditto
• English verdict

Usage notes

A different verb, dicāre with a short i, means “to dedicate, devote”, and is probably a back-formation from compounds such as dēdicāre.^[3][2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press