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distinguo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word distinguo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [dɪsˈtɪŋ.ɡʷoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [disˈtiŋ.ɡʷo][1]

Forms

distinguō (present infinitive distinguere, perfect active distīnxī, supine distīnctum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from dis- (“apart”) and a verb *stinguō “to prick”, seen in īnstīnctus and īnstīgō, with which the OLD compares Umbrian ⟨anstintu⟩.[2][1][3] Lewis and Short compare Ancient Greek στίζω (stízō, “to prick”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Cicero, of keeping things separate.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to divide off, keep separate, to divide a whole into parts, and to mark off, distinguish one thing from another, as in Cicero.[2] It meant to dot, embellish with distinctive features, as Cicero's decorations, to interrupt or relieve an activity, as in Seneca, and to punctuate writing, as in Quintilian.[2] It meant to make or perceive a difference, draw a distinction, to classify, to be the distinguishing mark of, to define, and in Seneca to settle an issue.[2] Döderlein contrasts discernō, to distinguish by judgement, with distinguere, to mark off.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to divide, separate, discriminate, speak distinctly.[7] It survives in French distinguer, Italian distinguere and Spanish distinguir.[1] English distinguish came through French in the 1560s, and English distinct from its participle distīnctus in the late 14th century.[3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of separating and distinguishing.[2][5]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of dividing up.[2][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of punctuation.[2][5]
  • 1560s – English distinguish is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To divide, separate; to mark off.[2]
  2. To adorn, dot.[2]
  3. To interrupt; to punctuate.[2]
  4. To distinguish, discriminate.[2]
  5. To specify, define.[2]

Word family

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 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

“Distinguo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/distinguo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·