Etymologically
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erigo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈeː.rɪ.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.ri.ɡo][1]

Forms

ērigō (present infinitive ērigere, perfect active ērēxī, supine ērēctum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ex- (“out, up”) and regō “to direct, keep straight”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation for raising is Lucilius, of natural forces sending something up.[2] Köbler dates Lucilius c. 180–102 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to raise, lift, elevate, as Lucretius' red light and lifted head, of hills to rise, and figuratively to exalt, as in Livy.[2][5] It meant to march troops uphill, to set upright, erect, as Cicero's nature that made man stand upright, and with aurēs to prick up the ears.[2][6] It meant to build, as in Caesar, to help someone to their feet, and reflexively to stand up.[2] Figuratively it meant to give new hope, revive, cheer, as in Cicero, and to rouse or excite attention.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to erect, lift up, set up.[7] English erect came from its participle ērēctus in the late 14th century, and Italian ergere “to raise”, a descendant, lies behind English alert.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of sending something up.[2][4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of lifting the head.[5][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of standing upright and of reviving hope.[2][6][4]
  • late 14th century – English erect is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To raise, lift; to exalt.[2]
  2. To set upright, erect; to prick up (the ears).[2]
  3. To build.[2]
  4. To help up, (reflexive) to stand up.[2]
  5. To encourage, revive.[2]
  6. To rouse, excite.[2]

Word family

  • diērectus
  • ērēctiō
  • subērigō

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson