Etymologically
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foveo

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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
  • 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