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differo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word differo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (ferō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdɪf.fɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdif.fe.ro][1]

Forms

differō (present infinitive differre, perfect active distulī, supine dīlātum); third conjugation, suppletive[1]

Etymology

It is from dis- (“apart”) and ferō “to carry”, with the suppletive perfect ⟨distulī⟩ and participle ⟨dīlātum⟩.[2][1][3] Plautus splits it in tmesis, ⟨disque tulissent⟩.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Ennius, of scattering.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to carry in different directions, scatter, disperse, to plant out at intervals, as in Varro, and to carry off course.[2] It meant to bewilder, distract, as in Plautus, to spread news abroad, and to spread bad reports about, defame.[2] It meant to postpone, defer, as in Cicero, and to put a person off, keep waiting, as in Livy.[2] Intransitively it meant to differ, be different, and to disagree, as in Cicero.[2] Döderlein says differre is delay in a negative sense, a thing laid aside for the present.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to defer, differ, scatter, publish, delay.[7] French différer and Italian differire are borrowings.[1] English differ and English defer both came in the late 14th century, the latter through Old French diferer, and English dilate comes from Late Latin dīlātāre.[3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of scattering.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of bewildering and of spreading reports.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of postponing and of differing.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English differ and defer are recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To scatter, disperse; to plant out.[2]
  2. To distract, bewilder.[2]
  3. To spread abroad; to defame.[2]
  4. To postpone, defer; to keep waiting.[2]
  5. (intransitive) To differ; to disagree.[2]

Word family

  • differentia
  • differitās
  • dīlātiō
  • dīlātō
  • dīlātor
  • indifferēns
  • differēns
  • dīlātōrius
  • dīlātūra
  • dīlātus
  • adferō
  • afferō
  • auferō
  • circumferō
  • cōnferō
  • dēferō
  • dīlātātiō
  • dīlātātor
  • efferō
  • ferō
  • English differ
  • English defer

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 m n o 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. ^ 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. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Differo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/differo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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