Etymologically
Log in

imitor

Etymology and origin of the Latin word imitor

History Permalink
Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Livius Andronicus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*h₂eym-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɪ.mɪ.tɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiː.mi.tor][1]

Forms

imitor (present infinitive imitārī or imitārier, perfect active imitātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

The origin is doubtful.[2] It is perhaps a frequentative from a stem *im-, as in imāgō “image”, and aemulus “rivalling” may be related.[2][3][4] Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European *h₂eym- (“to imitate”).[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Livius Andronicus, who has an active form imitō.[2] Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to copy the conduct of someone, imitate, as in Plautus, and to follow their actions.[2] It meant to make a copy, reproduce, as Cicero's forging of a signature, to resemble, and to simulate, feign, as in Plautus.[2][4] Döderlein says imitārī is just to copy, while aemulor is to rival in order to equal or surpass.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to imitate, copy, represent.[7] Spanish remedar “to mimic” comes from it, and Italian imitare and French imiter are borrowings.[1] English imitation came about 1400, and English imitate in the 1530s.[8]

Timeline

  • 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses an active form.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of imitating and feigning.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of forging a signature.[4][5]
  • 1530s – English imitate is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To imitate, copy the conduct of.[2]
  2. To reproduce, copy; to resemble.[2]
  3. To simulate, feign.[2]

Word family

  • imitābilis
  • imitāmen
  • imitāmentum
  • imitātiō
  • imitātīvus
  • imitātor
  • imitātōrius
  • imitātrīx
  • imitātus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Imitor.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/imitor. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·