divino

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [diːˈwiː.noː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [diˈviː.no]^[1]

Forms

dīvīnō (present infinitive dīvīnāre, perfect active dīvīnāvī, supine dīvīnātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from dīvīnus “of a god; inspired, prophetic” with the verb suffix -ō; ⟨dīvīnus⟩ is from dīvus “divine”, related to deus “god”, from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- (“to shine; sky”).^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of divination.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to practise divination, interpret what is hidden from the senses, as in Plautus, and to know by inspiration or intuition, foresee, foretell, as in Cicero.^[2][6]

Through Vulgar Latin *dēvīnāre it gave Old French deviner and the English verb divine in the late 14th century, “to make out as if by divination”.^[4] It survives in French deviner, Spanish adivinar and Italian indovinare.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of foreseeing.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – the English verb divine is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To practise divination.^[2]
2. To divine, foresee; to foretell, prophesy.^[2][6]

Word family

• dīvīnātiō

Related words

• dīvīnus
• dīvus
• English divine

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
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. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press