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dissero

Etymology and origin of the Latin word dissero

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Latin sero
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Latin dissero
Latin sator

dissero1 sow apart

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Varro
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*seh₁-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdɪs.sɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdis.se.ro][1]

Forms

disserō (present infinitive disserere, perfect active dissēvī, supine dissitum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

This verb is from Latin dis- + serō (“to sow, plant”).[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨serō⟩ “to sow” as Proto-Italic ⟨*si-se/o-⟩, Proto-Indo-European *si-sh₁-e/o- (“to sow”), cognate with Lithuanian sėti (“to sow”) and Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌰𐌽 (saian, “to sow”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Varro, of planting out.[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to sow or plant at intervals, plant out, as in Varro, and in Apuleius to separate, part.[2][5] Lewis & Short call it rare.[5]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of separating.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To sow or plant at intervals, plant out.[2][5]
  2. To separate, part.[2]

dissero2 discuss

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*ser-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdɪs.sɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdis.se.ro][1]

Forms

disserō (present infinitive disserere, perfect active disseruī, supine dissertum); third conjugation[1] Its participle survives mainly as the adjective disertus “eloquent”, dissertus appears first in Jerome.[5]

Etymology

This verb is from Latin dis- + serō (“to join, link”).[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨serō⟩ “to link” as Proto-Italic *sere/o-, Proto-Indo-European *ser-e/o- (“to thread, tie together”), cognate with Oscan ⟨aserum⟩ and Ancient Greek εἴρω (eírō, “to string together”).[3] Gaffiot explains the sense as linking ideas and arguments in a chain.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation for discussing is Cicero.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to set out in words, treat of, discuss, argue, expound, as in Cicero, and in Columella to arrange, dispose, as of hair.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to discuss, dispute, explain, expound.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of discussion.[2][4]
  • 1st century AD – Columella uses it of arranging hair.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To arrange, set in order.[2]
  2. To discuss, expound, treat of.[2][7]

Word family

  • disertus
  • dissertō
  • dissertātiō

Usage notes

A third disserō, disserāre “to unbar”, from sera “bolt”, is quoted from Terentianus Maurus.[2][6]

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 j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b 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 f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Dissero.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/dissero. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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