faveo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfa.we.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfaː.ve.o]^[1]

Forms

faveō (present infinitive favēre, perfect active fāvī, supine fautum); second conjugation, impersonal in the passive^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *fawē-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂w-eh₁- (“to be favourable”), a stative verb.^[2][1] De Vaan compares Old Irish báe (“profit”) and Sanskrit भूषति (bhū́ṣati, “exerts oneself for”).^[2] Wiktionary also mentions the roots *bʰuH- “to be” and *bʰeh₂- “to shine”, and the OLD calls it doubtful.^[1][3] faustus “lucky” belongs to the same root.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius, where sailors run in through the strait with a favouring wind.^[2][3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to be favourably inclined, to show favour or indulgence, to take someone's side, and of circumstances to be favourable.^[3] It also meant to applaud.^[5] In religious formulas linguīs favēte “favour with your tongues” meant to avoid words of ill omen, and so to keep silence, as in Virgil's ōre favēte omnēs.^[3]

Its derivative favor gave English favor about 1300, and through Italian favorito the noun English favorite in the 1580s.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius speaks of a favouring wind.^[3][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence has a character take a girl's side.^[3][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil orders silence with ōre favēte.^[3][4]
• c. 1300 – English favor is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To be favourably inclined (towards), approve.^[3]
2. To show favour (to), be indulgent.^[3]
3. To take the side (of), support.^[3]
4. (of circumstances) To be favourable.^[3]
5. linguīs favēre, to avoid ill-omened words, keep silence.^[3]

Word family

• faustus
• fautor
• favor

Related words

• Faunus
• English favor

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com