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grassor

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word grassor

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*g(h)rd(h)-(e)i-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin gradior
Latin praegredior
Latin congredior
Latin congressus
English congress
English congressman
Latin congressio
Latin progredior
Latin progressus
English progress
Latin regredior
Latin regressus
Latin gressus
Latin ingredior
Latin ingressus
Latin grassor
Latin circumgredior

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɡras.sɔr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈɡras.sor][1]

Forms

grassor (present infinitive grassārī, perfect active grassātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

It is a frequentative from Latin gradior (“to step, walk”), formed with the suffix of ⟨-tō⟩ verbs.[2][1][3] The grammarian Macrobius already called it an iterative of that verb.[3] De Vaan traces gradior to Proto-Italic *grad-(e)i- and Proto-Indo-European *g(h)rd(h)-(e)i-.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it of sheep straying about.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is first to press on, march, advance.[2] Of robbers and pirates it is to roam in search of victims, to prowl: Livy has a gang of young men roaming in the Subura, and Vitruvius uses it of charlatans going about unpunished.[2] Figuratively it is to go to work or behave in some way, as Sallust's man who acts on desire and anger, the worst of counsellors.[2] It is also to act violently, to run riot or rage, especially of diseases, as Tacitus' archers who inflict many wounds from a distance.[2] Lewis & Short note that Cicero and Caesar do not use it.[5] Festus reports that the ancients used it for adūlārī, to flatter.[2][3] Church Latin glosses it to rage, be violent.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of straying sheep.[2]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust of acting on desire and anger.[2][7]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of young men prowling the Subura.[2]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus of archers.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To press on, march, advance.[2][5][1]
  2. To roam in search of victims, prowl.[2][1]
  3. To go to work, proceed, behave (in some way).[2]
  4. To act violently, run riot, rage, especially of diseases; to attack.[2][1][6]
  5. (early Latin, according to Festus) To flatter.[2]

Word family

  • dēgrassor
  • grassātiō
  • grassātor
  • grassātūra

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  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. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Grassor.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/grassor. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·