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elicio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word elicio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (laciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [eːˈlɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈliː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

ēliciō (present infinitive ēlicere, perfect active ēlicuī or ēlē̆xī, supine ēlicitum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1] Perfect ēlicuī, and Arnobius has ēlexī.[2]

Etymology

It is from ex- “out” and laciō “to entice”.[3][1][4] De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic *lak-i- (“to draw, pull”) for ⟨laciō⟩.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of luring someone out.[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to coax or lure out, as in Plautus and Caesar; to call forth, summon; to draw out a remark or secret, elicit, as in Cicero; to arouse a latent feeling; and to draw forth substances or phenomena, as in Cicero.[3][7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to bring forth, elicit, allure, call out.[8] Its participle ēlicitus gave English elicit in the 1640s.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of drawing out.[3][6]
  • 1640s – English elicit is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To lure out, entice.[3]
  2. To call forth, summon.[3]
  3. To draw out, elicit.[3]
  4. To arouse.[3]

Word family

  • ēlectō
  • aquaelicium

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Elicio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/elicio. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·