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effervesco

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word effervesco

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
234–149 BC, Cato
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*bhreu-)

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɛf.fɛrˈweːs.koː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ef.ferˈvɛs.ko][1]

Forms

effervēscō (present infinitive effervēscere, perfect active efferbuī or effervī); third conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1] The perfect is efferbuī or effervī.[2][3] Manuscripts of Cicero sometimes spell it ecf-.[3]

Etymology

It is from Latin ex- + fervēscō (“to begin to boil”), an inchoative of ferveō (“to boil”).[4][1][3] Etymonline traces that verb to Proto-Indo-European *bhreu- (“to boil, bubble”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cato uses it of new wine that has fermented enough.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

It is to boil up or over, of liquids heated, as Cicero's water boiling over fires, or to be violently agitated without heat.[4][2] Of wine it is to ferment, and in medicine, in Scribonius Largus, eruptions of the skin break out.[4] Figuratively it is to grow excited or rage: Lucretius has boars seen raging in action.[4][2] Cicero's perfect is efferbuī, while Cato and Tacitus have effervī.[2] Church Latin glosses it boil up, rage.[6] English effervesce dates from 1702.[5]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato of wine fermenting.[4][2]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius of raging boars.[4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of boiling water.[4]
  • 1702 – English effervesce.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To boil up or over; to be violently agitated.[4][2][1][6]
  2. Of wine, to ferment; of eruptions, to break out.[4]
  3. To grow excited, rage.[4][2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Effervesco.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/effervesco. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·