gradior

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɡra.di.ɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡraː.di.or]^[1]

Forms

gradior (present infinitive gradī, perfect active gressus sum); third (-iō variant) conjugation, deponent^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *grad-(e)i-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *g(ʰ)rd(ʰ)-(e)i-.^[2] Cognate with Old Irish do·greinn (“chases”) and Middle Welsh grynnyaw (“to press, thrust”).^[2][3] The traditional comparison with Old Church Slavonic грѧсти (gręsti, “to come”) and Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌸𐍃 (griþs, “step”) is doubted.^[1] The noun gradus “step” and the frequentative grassor belong to the same stem.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, who also has fourth-conjugation forms such as adgredīmur.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to step, walk or proceed, often in a stately or deliberate way, and in particular to move on foot, as opposed to crawling or flying.^[3] Cicero contrasts animals that walk with those that crawl.^[3][5] De Vaan thinks it was first used mostly with prefixes, in compounds such as aggredior “to approach, attack”, ēgredior “to go out” and prōgredior “to go forward”.^[2] These are the sources of English aggression and English progress.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses adgredīmur.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero contrasts animals that walk with those that crawl.^[3][4]
• early 15th century – English progress is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To step, walk, proceed, especially in a stately way.^[3]
2. To move on foot (as opposed to crawling or flying).^[3]

Word family

• ēgredior
• gradātiō
• gradilis
• gradus
• grassor
• gressiō
• gressus
• altegradius
• herbigradus
• retrōgradior
• spissigradus
• tardigradus

Related words

• gradātim
• English progress
• English aggression

Usage notes

Döderlein groups it with eō and meō, the general words for going.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 c d e f 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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper