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frigeo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word frigeo

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*sriHǵ-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfriː.ɡe.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfriː.d͡ʒe.o][1]

Forms

frīgeō (present infinitive frīgēre, perfect active frīxī or frīguī); second conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1]

Etymology

It is from frīgus “cold” with the suffix -eō, or from ⟨*srīgeō⟩.[1][2][3] De Vaan traces ⟨frīgus⟩ to Proto-Italic *srīgos-, from Proto-Indo-European *sriHǵ-o/es- (“frost, bitter cold”); cognate with Ancient Greek ῥιγέω (rhigéō, “to shiver”).[4][2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of a cool reception.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to be cold, as in Celsus, the opposite of calēre, and Lewis & Short distinguish algēre, of feeling cold.[2][3] Of an old man and his strength it meant to lack vigour, fail, as in Virgil; in Cicero to be idle, have nothing to do; and of people to meet a cool reception, of words and efforts to fall flat, as in Terence.[2]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a cool reception.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of idleness.[2][6]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of failing strength.[2][6]
  • 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of being cold.[2][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To be cold, chilly.[2][3]
  2. To lack vigour; to be idle.[2]
  3. To meet a cool reception; to fall flat.[2]

Word family

  • frīgēdō
  • frīgefaciō
  • frīgēscō
  • frīgidus
  • frīgefactō
  • frīgor

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Frigeo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/frigeo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·