Etymologically
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dilapido

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 10:48. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [diːˈɫa.pɪ.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [diˈlaː.pi.do][1]

Forms

dīlapidō (present infinitive dīlapidāre, perfect active dīlapidāvī, supine dīlapidātum); first conjugation, no passive[1]

Etymology

It is from dis- (“apart”) and lapidō “to throw stones”, from lapis “stone”: literally “to scatter like stones”.[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Terence, of squandering thirty minae.[2][3] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Terence it meant to throw away, squander money, which the OLD treats as figuratively bringing an edifice to ruin.[2][3] In Columella it meant to pelt as with stones, of hail battering the farmer's work.[2][6] Lewis and Short call it very rare, and cite Firmicus Maternus for squandering wealth.[3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to squander.[7] It survives in Italian dilapidare and Spanish dilapidar.[1] English dilapidate was borrowed in the 1560s, meaning to bring a building to ruin.[4]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of squandering money.[2][5]
  • 1st century AD – Columella uses it of hail pelting crops.[2][5]
  • 1560s – English dilapidate is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To squander.[3]
  2. To ruin (as an edifice, figuratively).[2]
  3. To pelt as with stones.[2]

Word family

  • dīlapidātiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson