haereo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈhae̯.re.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.re.o]^[1]

Forms

haereō (present infinitive haerēre, perfect active haesī, supine haesum); second conjugation, no passive^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *χais-ē-, with /r/ from older /s/, as the perfect haesī shows, but the root is unknown.^[2][1] The comparison with Lithuanian gaĩšti (“to linger”), made by Walde–Hofmann and Pokorny and in the Oxford Latin Dictionary, is rejected by Fraenkel.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to stick, cling or adhere, of persons to hold on tightly, to join on, and to attach oneself to someone.^[3] Ennius speaks of wickedness sticking in a body.^[3] It was to fix the eyes or mind on something, as in Virgil, to remain or linger, to be held up, as a tongue stuck with fear in Terence, to be at a loss, and to stop dead.^[3] Döderlein contrasts pendeō, to hang.^[5]

Its frequentative haesitō and the compounds adhaereō and cohaereō gave English hesitate and adhere.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of being at a loss.^[3][4]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of wickedness clinging to a body.^[3][4]
• 1590s – English adhere is recorded, from adhaerēre.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To stick, cling, adhere.^[3][7]
2. To hold on tightly.^[3]
3. To be joined (to).^[3]
4. To attach oneself (to a person).^[3][1]
5. To be fixed (in the eyes or mind).^[3]
6. To remain, linger; to persist.^[3][1]
7. To be held up, stuck; to be at a loss, hesitate.^[3][1]
8. To stop dead.^[3]

Word family

• adhaereō
• cohaereō
• haerescō
• haesitō
• inhaereō
• obhaereō
• subhaereo

Related words

• haesitābundus
• haesitantia
• haesitātiō
• haesitātor
• English adhere
• English hesitate

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 g h i j k l m n 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. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press