indico

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɪn.dɪ.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈin.di.ko]^[1]

Forms

indicō (present infinitive indicāre, perfect active indicāvī, supine indicātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from in- (“in, on”) and dicō “to proclaim”, a first-conjugation verb beside the third-conjugation ⟨dīcere⟩ “to say”; index “informer, pointer” belongs to the same group.^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, who also has the old forms indicāssō and indicāssis.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make known, point out, reveal, declare, as Cicero's character who revealed everything to her mistress, and to disclose a secret, divulge, betray, to inform on a person, and to lay information.^[2][6] Of things it meant to indicate, show, as in Terence, and in commerce to fix the price of goods, as in Plautus.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to indicate, show, reveal, give evidence.^[7] It survives in Old French engier.^[1] English indicate was borrowed in the 1650s, perhaps as a back-formation from indication.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of revealing and of pricing.^[2][5]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of informing on someone.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of revealing everything.^[6][5]
• 1650s – English indicate is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To point out, make known, reveal.^[2]
2. To disclose, divulge, betray; to inform on.^[2]
3. (of things) To indicate, show.^[2]
4. To fix the price of.^[2]

Word family

• index
• indicābilis
• indicātiō
• indicātīvus
• indicātūra
• indicīva
• indictīcius
• indictiō
• indictīvus
• indicātor
• indictus

Related words

• indicīna
• indicium
• indiculum
• indictiōnālis
• dicō
• English indicate

Usage notes

A different verb indīcō, indīcere, from in- and dīcō, meant to proclaim formally, as bellum indīcere “to declare war”, and to impose.^[2][6]

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 c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ 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. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson