Etymologically
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duco

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈduː.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈduː.ko][1]

Forms

dūcō (present infinitive dūcere, perfect active dūxī, supine ductum); third conjugation, irregular short imperative[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *douk-e-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *deuk-e/o- (“to draw”).[2] An old spelling abdoucit appears in a Scipio epitaph.[2] De Vaan thinks the noun dux “leader” was taken from compounds.[2]

Cognate with Middle Welsh dwc (“leads, brings”) and Gothic 𐍄𐌹𐌿𐌷𐌰𐌽 (tiuhan, “to draw”),[2][3] and with Old English tēon and English tow.[3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from the Laws of the Twelve Tables onwards.[2] In Plautus a woman will be “taken to your father”.[3]

Semantic evolution

Its basic sense was to lead or take someone along, and animals, as soldiers leading pack animals in Plautus.[3] Of a man it meant to marry, “to take home” a wife, and of a general to lead troops, ducere triumphum was to hold a triumph.[3] A road could lead somewhere, and heavenly bodies bring round the seasons.[3]

It meant to draw a line or a boundary, to build along a line, to spend time, to bring into a condition and to lead into an opinion or into error.[3] Draught animals drew a cart, a magnet drew iron in Lucretius, and one drew threads, breath and lots.[3] It also meant to prolong, to derive, to calculate and, with an accusative and infinitive, to consider or reckon.[3][1]

English duke comes from dux, and conduct from its compound condūcere.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.[2]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of leading persons and of marrying.[3][5]
  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of a consul leading part of the army.[3][5]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius says a lodestone draws iron.[3][5]
  • early 12th century – English duke comes from dux.[4]
  • early 15th century – English conduct comes from condūcere.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To lead, conduct, take (a person or animal).[3][1]
  2. (of a man) To marry.[3][1]
  3. To lead (troops); to lead (a procession), ducere triumphum, to hold a triumph.[3][1]
  4. (of a road) To lead.[3]
  5. To draw, trace (a line, a boundary); to build along a line.[3]
  6. To spend (time).[3]
  7. To bring into a condition; to lead (to an opinion); to lead on, deceive.[3]
  8. To draw, pull (a cart, a load); to attract.[3][1]
  9. To draw (a thread, breath, lots).[3]
  10. To shape, fashion.[3]
  11. To prolong, protract.[3][1]
  12. To derive; to calculate.[3]
  13. To consider, reckon.[3][1]

Word family

  • abdūcō
  • addūcō
  • circumdūcō
  • condūcō
  • dēdūcō
  • dīdūcō
  • dūcātor
  • ducātrīx
  • ducātus
  • ductārius
  • ductilis
  • ductim
  • dux
  • English duke
  • English conduct
  • English tow

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  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