foveo

Pronunciation

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

Forms

foveō (present infinitive fovēre, perfect active fōvī, supine fōtum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *foχweje/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰogʷʰ-éye- (“to make burn”), a causative of the root *dʰegʷʰ- “to burn”.^[2][1] Cognate with Sanskrit दहति (dáhati, “burns”), Lithuanian degù (“I burn”), Old Irish daig (“fire”) and Albanian djeg (“to burn”).^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, who speaks of dishes kept warm on glowing braziers.^[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make or keep warm, as birds keep their chicks warm with their wings in Cicero, then to comfort, soothe or relieve, and in a bad sense to pamper.^[3][5] In medicine it was to bathe or foment a part of the body.^[3] It also meant to fondle or caress, to foster or nurture people and plants, to favour or support one side, and to promote an activity or feeling.^[3]

Its derivative fōmentum “warm application” gave, through Late Latin fōmentāre and French, English foment in the early 15th century.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of dishes kept warm on braziers.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero describes birds keeping their chicks warm.^[5][4]
• early 15th century – English foment is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To keep warm, heat.^[3]
2. To soothe, relieve; to pamper.^[3]
3. (medicine) To bathe, foment.^[3]
4. To caress.^[3]
5. To foster, nurture.^[3]
6. To favour, support; to promote.^[3]

Word family

• cōnfoveō
• effoveō
• fōmentum
• fōtus
• fovēla
• perfoveō
• refoveō

Related words

• fōmes
• favīlla
• English foment

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b 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