Etymologically

glorior

Etymology and origin of the Latin word glorior

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Latin (glōria)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɡɫoː.ri.ɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡlɔː.ri.or][1]

Forms

glōrior (present infinitive glōriārī, perfect active glōriātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

It is from glōria “glory” with the verb suffix ⟨-or⟩.[2][1] De Vaan reports the explanation of ⟨glōria⟩ from ⟨*gnōria⟩ “knowledge, fame”, related to ⟨gnārus⟩, which some scholars accept and others reject on phonetic grounds.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, with a clause.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to pride oneself, boast, and with an accusative to boast of, glory in, and Cicero has idem glōriārī quod Cȳrus “to make the same boast as Cyrus”.[2][5] Lewis & Short give to glory, boast, brag.[6]

It survives in Italian gloriare and Spanish gloriar, and through Old French gloriier it is the source of English glory as a verb.[1]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of boasting.[5][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To pride oneself, boast.[2]
  2. To boast of, glory in.[2]

Word family

  • glōriātiō
  • glōriātor
  • glōriābundus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Glorior.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/glorior. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·