Etymologically
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erodo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [eːˈroː.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈrɔː.do][1]

Forms

ērōdō (present infinitive ērōdere, perfect active ērōsī, supine ērōsum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ex- and rōdō “to gnaw”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Columella, of animals gnawing.[2] Köbler dates Columella to the 1st century AD.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant, of animals, to gnaw or eat away, as in Columella, and in Seneca of natural forces to destroy gradually, erode, and in medicine of corrosive remedies.[2]

It was borrowed into French éroder, and English erode is recorded from the 1610s, “to gnaw or eat away”, perhaps a back-formation from erosion.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 1st century AD – Columella uses it of gnawing.[2][4]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of erosion.[2][4]
  • 1610s – English erode is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To gnaw away.[2]
  2. To eat away, erode; to corrode.[2]

Word family

  • ērōsiō

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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de