Etymologically
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expono

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɛkˈspoː.noː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ekˈspɔː.no][1]

Forms

expōnō (present infinitive expōnere, perfect active exposuī or exposīvī, supine expositum or expostum); third conjugation[1] Plautus has the perfect exposīvit, and Cato and Virgil the participle expostus.[2]

Etymology

It is from ex- “out” and pōnō “to put”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of exposing children, and Cato, of putting out into the open.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to put out in the open, as in Cato, and in Plautus to expose a child.[2] In Caesar it meant to spread out, and in Cicero to put on show, offer for sale, and to set forth in words, explain.[2] In Petronius it meant to expose to danger.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to set before, make manifest, expound, explain.[5] It survives in Italian esporre and Romanian spune “to say”, and through Old French it gave English expound in the mid-14th century, and French exposer gave English expose in the early 15th century.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of exposing children.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of putting out.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of explaining.[2][4]
  • mid-14th century – English expound is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To put out.[2]
  2. To expose (a child).[2]
  3. To spread out.[2]
  4. To display; to offer for sale.[2]
  5. To expose (to danger).[2]
  6. To set forth, expound, explain.[2]

Word family

  • expositīcius
  • expositiō
  • expositīuus
  • expositor
  • expositē
  • expositus
  • pōnō
  • English expound
  • English expose

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson