gaudeo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɡau̯.de.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡaːu̯.de.o]^[1]

Forms

gaudeō (present infinitive gaudēre, perfect active gāvīsus sum); second conjugation, semi-deponent^[1] It is semi-deponent, with the perfect gāvīsus sum; an active perfect gāvīsī is found in Livius Andronicus and Cassius Hemina.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is probably contracted from an older *gāvidē-, built on an adjective *gāvidus “rejoicing”, as ārdeō stands beside āridus.^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs inherited from Proto-Italic *gāweþ-ē-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeh₂u-edʰ- (“to rejoice”).^[2]

Cognate with Ancient Greek γηθέω (gēthéō, “to rejoice”) and γάνυμαι (gánumai, “to be glad”).^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Livius Andronicus onwards.^[2] In Plautus a god says, “because I see you calm, I am glad and pleased”.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to be glad or to rejoice, as in Terence's “so I was glad for nothing”, and to take pleasure in something.^[4] In poetry things were said to rejoice, as Catullus' palace “rejoicing in royal treasure”.^[4] Cicero distinguishes it from laetari: it is fitting to feel joy, but not to show it with exultation.^[5]

From it came gaudium “joy”.^[2] It survives as Italian godere and Old French joir.^[1] English joy came about 1200 from Old French joie, from the plural of gaudium.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for being glad.^[4][7]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it for rejoicing in vain.^[4][7]
• 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of a palace rejoicing in treasure.^[4][7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero contrasts it with laetari.^[5][7]
• c. 1200 – English joy is first recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To be glad, rejoice.^[4][3]
2. To take pleasure (in), enjoy.^[4][1]
3. (poetic, of things) To rejoice (in).^[4]

Word family

• aggaudeō
• congaudeō
• gaudebundus
• gaudēns
• gaudibundus
• gaudium
• gāvīsus
• pergaudeō
• praegaudeō
• supergaudeō

Related words

• gaudiālis
• gaudimōnium
• gaudivigēns
• English joy
• English enjoy
• English gaudy

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes gaudere, joy as an inward state, from laetari, joy shown outwardly.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
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
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper