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edepol

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word edepol

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɛ.dɛ.pɔɫ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈɛː.de.pol][1]

Forms

edepol (interjection)[2]

Etymology

It is made of the interjection ē (as in ēcastor (“by Castor!”)), a shortened ⟨de⟩ that is probably the vocative ⟨deive⟩ of dīvus (“god”), and pol, the shortened vocative of Pollūx.[2] Wiktionary reads it as “by the god Pollux”, taking ⟨de⟩ from deus.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is an oath of comedy: Köbler's only source is Plautus.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

It is an imprecation used by both men and women, unlike ēcastor, which only women used (Gellius).[2] It expresses surprise, annoyance or emphasis, “by Pollux!, truly!”.[1][2]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Common in Plautus.[3]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius notes that both sexes swore by Pollux.[2][3]

Meanings

Interjection

  1. By Pollux!; indeed!, truly! (expressing surprise, annoyance or emphasis).[2][1]
  • pol
  • ēcastor
  • mehercle

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. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Edepol.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/edepol. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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