Etymologically
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exsequor

Etymology and origin of the Latin word exsequor

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (sequor)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɛks.sɛ.kʷɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛks.se.kʷor][1]

Forms

exsequor (present infinitive exsequī, perfect active exsecūtus sum or exsequūtus sum); third conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

It is from ex- and sequor “to follow”, so “to follow to the end”.[2][1][3] It is very often written ⟨exequor⟩, and Livy's manuscripts also have ⟨esse-⟩.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of seeking after.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In particular it meant to follow a body to the grave, as Masurius Sabinus in Gellius, the sense of its derivative exsequiae “funeral”.[3][6] It meant to follow, go in search of, strive after, pursue with vengeance, as in Sallust, and to go on with an occupation.[2] Its most common sense, from Plautus onwards, was to carry out, execute a duty or command, as in imperium exsequī.[2] From Cicero it meant to go through in words, recount, and in rhetoric to develop an argument, and in Plautus to attain a result.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to follow, perform, secure, fulfil.[7] It gave Italian eseguire.[1] Its noun exsecūtiō and the later exsecūtīvus are the sources of English execution and English executive.[8]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of seeking.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of carrying out orders.[2][5]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of pursuing with vengeance.[2][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of developing a topic.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To follow a funeral, follow to the grave.[3]
  2. To follow; to seek after, strive for.[2]
  3. To pursue with vengeance, punish.[2]
  4. To go on with, persist in.[2]
  5. To carry out, execute.[2]
  6. To recount, go through, (rhetoric) to develop.[2]
  7. To attain.[2]

Word family

  • exsecūtiō
  • exsecūtor
  • exsequiae
  • exsequium
  • exsecūtus
  • exsequēns

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 p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ 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
  8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Exsequor.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/exsequor. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·