incresco

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪŋˈkreːs.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iŋˈkrɛs.ko]^[1]

Forms

incrēscō (present infinitive incrēscere, perfect active incrēvī); third conjugation, no passive, no supine stem^[1]

Etymology

It is from in- and crēscō “to grow”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation for growing stronger is from Ovid.^[2] Köbler dates Ovid 43 BC–18 AD.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to grow, develop, of organic things, as in Celsus and Columella, and in Pliny the Elder to grow upon something.^[2][5] In Ovid it meant to increase in degree, grow stronger or more intense, of feelings and conditions.^[2] Lewis & Short note it is perhaps not ante-Augustan.^[6]

It survives in Italian increscere, and through Anglo-French encress- and Old French encreistre it gave English increase in the mid-14th century.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it.^[2][4]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of growth.^[2][4]
• mid-14th century – English increase is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To grow (in or upon).^[2][5]
2. To increase, grow stronger.^[2]

Word family

• adincrēscō
• incrēmentum
• superincrescō

Related words

• crēscō
• dēcrēscō
• English increase

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press