doceo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈdɔ.ke.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdɔː.t͡ʃe.o]^[1]

Forms

doceō (present infinitive docēre, perfect active docuī, supine doctum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *dok-eje-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *doḱ-ei̯e/o- (“to make someone accept something”), a causative.^[2] Cognate with Ancient Greek δοκέω (dokéō, “to seem”) and Hittite dākki (“seems, is fitting”), and related to decet “it is fitting”.^[2][3] Lewis & Short and Georges compared discō “to learn”.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Livius Andronicus uses it.^[2] Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to tell or inform, to brief an advocate, to show or demonstrate, and to teach a person a skill, with two accusatives.^[3] Docēre fābulam was to produce a play, as Cicero says Livius Andronicus first did.^[3]

In medieval Latin it was to teach and train, and in the passive also to learn.^[7] It survives in Old French duire.^[1] Its derivatives doctor, doctrīna and docilis gave English doctor, doctrine and docile.^[8]

Timeline

• 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero says that Livius was the first to produce a play.^[3][6]
• c. 1300 – English doctor is recorded, first of a Church father.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To tell, inform.^[3][4]
2. To brief (an advocate).^[3]
3. To show, demonstrate.^[3]
4. To teach, instruct.^[3][4]
5. Docēre fābulam, to produce a play.^[3]

Word family

• addoceō
• condoceō
• dēdoceō
• docibilis
• docilis
• doctificus
• doctisonus
• doctiusculē
• doctor
• doctrīna
• doctrīx

Related words

• decet
• discō
• English doctor
• English doctrine
• English docile

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com