Etymologically
Log in

fero

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 02:10. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛː.ro][1]

Forms

ferō (present infinitive ferre, perfect active tulī or tetulī, supine lātum); third conjugation, suppletive[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *fere/o- (“to carry”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-e/o- (“to carry”).[2] Cognate with Umbrian fertu (“let him carry”), Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō, “to carry”), Sanskrit भरति (bhárati, “carries”), Old Irish biru (“I carry”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (bairan, “to carry”) and Old English beran (English bear).[2][3][1] The perfect tulī (older tetulī) and the participle lātus (from *tlātos) belong to another root, Proto-Indo-European *tl̥h₂- (“to lift”), the root of tollō, so the verb is suppletive.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest example is fero on an Old Latin inscription from Praeneste.[2] In literature it is common from Plautus, who also has the old perfect tetulī.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

The main sense was to carry or convey people and things, and forces such as wind, waves and passions were said to carry someone along.[3] With a reflexive, sē ferre was to make one's way, and pedem ferre to step.[3] It also meant to bear or endure, to bring forth fruit, to win a prize, to propose a law (lēgem ferre) or cast a vote, and to report or say, as in ferunt “they say”.[1][3][4]

Döderlein distinguishes ferre, carrying something from place to place, from portō and bāiulāre, carrying a load, and contrasts the objective ferre with tolerāre and patī, which refer to the mind of the sufferer.[5] Its many compounds include afferō, cōnferō, differō and offerō, and its derivative fertilis “fruitful” is the source of English fertile.[2][6]

Timeline

  • Old Latin – fero on an inscription from Praeneste.[2]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of carrying people and has tetulī.[3][4][7]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses sē ferre of a horse making its way across the plain.[3][7]
  • mid-15th century – English fertile is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To carry, convey, bring.[3]
  2. (of forces, feelings) To carry along, lead.[3]
  3. sē ferre, to make one's way, pedem ferre, to step.[3]
  4. To bear, endure, tolerate.[1][8]
  5. To bring forth, produce (fruit).[1][4]
  6. To win, carry off (a prize).[1]
  7. To propose (a law); to cast (a vote).[1]
  8. To report, say, ferunt, they say.[1][4]

Word family

  • afferō
  • anteferō
  • auferō
  • circumferō
  • cōnferō
  • dēferō
  • differō
  • efferō
  • ferāx
  • ferculum
  • feretrum
  • fertilis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.