Etymologically
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figo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfiː.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfiː.ɡo][1]

Forms

fīgō (present infinitive fīgere, perfect active fīxī, supine fīxum or fīctum); third conjugation[1] An older present fīvere is reported by Paul the Deacon's Festus, with offīvēbant in a gloss.[2] Varro and Lucretius have a participle fīctus beside fīxus.[3][4]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeigʷ-e/o- (“to stick, set up”) or *dʰiHgʷ-e/o-.[2][1] The older present fīvere kept the regular outcome of /gʷ/ between vowels, and the /g/ was brought in from the perfect fīxī.[2][1] Cognate with Lithuanian díegti (“to plant, sting”) and perhaps Umbrian fiktu.[2][3] Wiktionary adds English ditch.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It appears in the Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus and in Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to drive in or fix nails and stakes, clāvum fīgere being the religious rite of driving in a nail, to pierce or transfix, to fasten up a notice on a wall, and to nail a person, cruci fīgere “to crucify”.[3] It was to plant or set down, and so to establish.[3] Cicero speaks of planting swords in the enemy.[3][6]

In medieval Latin it was to fasten, attach, hang up, and also to crucify.[7] It survives as Italian figgere.[1] Its participle fīxus gave English fix.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a ship often pierced.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of crosses set up for punishment.[3][5]
  • late 14th century – English fix is recorded, from fīxus.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To drive in, fix in (nails, stakes), clāvum fīgere, to drive in a nail.[3][4]
  2. To pierce, transfix.[3][1]
  3. To fasten up, nail up (on a wall).[3]
  4. To nail (a person), cruci fīgere, to crucify.[3][6]
  5. To set up, fix in position; to plant; to establish.[3][1]
  6. To affirm, assert.[1]

Word family

  • affīgō
  • antefīxus
  • circumfīgō
  • cōnfīgō
  • dēfīgō
  • fībula
  • fixus
  • īnfīgō
  • offīgō
  • perfīgō
  • praefīgō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com