immergo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪmˈmɛr.ɡoː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [imˈmɛr.ɡo]^[1]

Forms

immergō (present infinitive immergere, perfect active immersī, supine immersum); third conjugation^[1] It is also spelled inmergō, and Plautus has immersti for immersisti.^[2]

Etymology

It is from in- “into” and mergō “to dip, plunge”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of plunging into a situation.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Plautus it meant, reflexively, to plunge into a place or activity.^[2] In Cicero it meant to dip or plunge into a liquid, immerse, sink, and in Ovid to bury in other things.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to dip into, immerse, plunge, merge.^[5] It was borrowed into French immerger and English immerge in the 1620s, and its participle immersus gave English immerse in the early 15th century.^[1][3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of plunging into a situation.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of immersing.^[2][4]
• early 15th century – English immerse is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To dip, plunge, immerse.^[2]
2. To bury, sink (in).^[2]
3. Reflexively, to plunge (into an activity).^[2]

Word family

• immersiō

Related words

• mergō
• ēmergō
• English immerse

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson