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expugno

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word expugno

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (pugnō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin pugno
Latin repugno
Latin oppugno
Latin expugno

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɛkˈspʊŋ.noː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ekˈspuɲ.ɲo][1]

Forms

expugnō (present infinitive expugnāre, perfect active expugnāvī, supine expugnātum); first conjugation[1] Plautus has the archaic future infinitive expugnāssere.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin ex- + pugnō (“to fight”).[4][1][3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL finds it from Plautus on.[3] In the Amphitruo oppidum expugnāvimus, “we stormed the town”.[4]

Semantic evolution

It is to take a fortified place by storm, and to defeat troops in a strong position (Livy).[4] Figuratively a Plautine slave will storm his master without fleet or army.[4] It is to break into and plunder property (Cicero: houses will be stormed) and to force one's purpose, and of natural forces to wear down, as time destroys a city bit by bit in Seneca.[4] It is also to overcome a condition or resistance: Cicero speaks of storming a woman's chastity, Celsus of overcoming a shivering fit, and Horace of winning over a man himself.[4]

Church Latin glosses it “fight against, overthrow, afflict, oppress, blot out, cancel”.[6] English expugn (early 15th century) comes from it through Old French.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of storming a town.[3][4][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of breaking into houses.[4][7]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of defeating an enemy in its camp.[4][7]
  • 14–37 AD – Celsus of overcoming a disease.[4][7]
  • early 15th century – English expugn.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To take by storm, capture; to defeat.[4][1]
  2. To break into, plunder; to extort, achieve.[4][1]
  3. (of natural forces) To destroy, wear down.[4]
  4. To overcome, subdue; to persuade.[4][1][6]

Word family

  • expūgnābilis
  • expugnātiō
  • expugnātor
  • expūgnāx
  • inexpugnatus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 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 l m n 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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Expugno.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/expugno. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·