Etymologically
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indico

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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

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