Etymologically
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domo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdɔ.moː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdɔː.mo][1]

Forms

domō (present infinitive domāre, perfect active domuī, supine domitum); first conjugation[1] Petronius has a participle domāta, and a perfect domāvī is reported.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *domaje-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *domh₂-eie/o- (“to tame”), a causative.[4] Cognate with Sanskrit दमयति (damáyati, “tames”), Ancient Greek δαμάζω (damázō, “to tame”), Old Irish daimid (“allows, gives in”) and Old High German zemmen (“to tame”).[4][2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus speaks of buying broken-in oxen.[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to tame or break in animals, as Cicero's wild beasts, to subdue in war, as on a triumphal inscription for a victory over the Ligurians, and to bring people under control.[2][7] It was used of controlling emotions and impulses, and of making things usable, as by pressing them in a press.[2]

In medieval Latin it was to tame, subdue and conquer.[8] It survives as Italian domare and Spanish domar.[1] Through Old French danter, from the frequentative domitō, it gave English daunt, and indomitable comes from the same verb.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of oxen.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of taming wild beasts.[7][6]
  • c. 1300 – English daunt is recorded as “to subdue”.[9]
  • 1630s – English indomitable is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To tame, break in.[2][3]
  2. To subdue, conquer (in war).[2][1]
  3. To bring under control (people, emotions).[2]
  4. To make (something) usable.[2]

Word family

  • condomo
  • dedomo
  • domābilis
  • domātor
  • domefactus
  • domitō
  • domitor
  • domitrix
  • domitūra
  • domī̆tus
  • ēdomō
  • indomitus
  • English daunt
  • English indomitable

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  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. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com