Etymologically
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divino

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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

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