flecto

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfɫɛk.toː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈflɛk.to]^[1]

Forms

flectō (present infinitive flectere, perfect active flexī, supine flexum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain, with no solid Indo-European cognates.^[1][2] De Vaan suggests that it has a suffix *-t- taken from plectō “to plait” and perhaps nectō “to tie”, and that the root could have been *bʰleK-, *dʰleK- or *gʷʰleK-.^[3][1] The TLL tentatively compares falx “sickle”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius.^[3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bend or curve, as of limbs or a bow, to round a cape, and to turn something in another direction, such as a ship, a horse or a chariot, or to steer a course.^[2][6] Figuratively it meant to turn aside anger or misfortune, to change someone's mind, to move or persuade, and in grammar to inflect a word.^[2][6]

Its derivatives include flexibilis, the source of English flexible, and compounds such as dēflectō and reflectō, whence English reflect.^[7] English flex is a back-formation from flexible.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[3][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of animals bending their limbs and of rounding Leucas.^[2][5]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid speaks of bending a bow.^[6][5]
• late 14th century – English reflect is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To bend, curve.^[2]
2. To round (a cape).^[2]
3. To turn, steer (in another direction).^[2]
4. To turn aside (anger, misfortune); to persuade, move.^[2][6]
5. (grammar) To inflect.^[6]

Word family

• afflectō
• amflexus
• circumflectō
• conflexus
• dēflectō
• flexanimus
• flexibilis
• flexilis
• flexiō
• flexipēs
• flexō
• flexūra

Related words

• nectō
• plectō
• English flexible
• English reflect

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com