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induo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word induo

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (exuō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɪn.du.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈin.du.o][1]

Forms

induō (present infinitive induere, perfect active induī, supine indūtum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ⟨indu-⟩ “in” and a verb ⟨*uō⟩ “to put on” also seen in exuō.[2][1] The TLL reconstructs ⟨*ind-ovō⟩ and compares induviae, Umbrian ⟨anovihimu⟩ “let him put on” and Lithuanian ⟨aũti⟩ “to have footwear on”.[3] Wiktionary and Lewis & Short compare Ancient Greek ἐνδύω (endúō, “to put on”).[1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Plautus, of putting on arms.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to put a garment or arms on someone, as in Cicero's alicui tunicam induere; to put on oneself, don, so arma induere “to take up arms”; to assume an appearance or role; to clothe, dress, as in Propertius; and to implant a quality or feeling in someone.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to clothe, put on, cover, engage in.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of putting a tunic on someone.[6][5]
  • 57/46–12 BC – Propertius uses it of clothing.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To put on (a person), clothe.[2][4]
  2. To put on oneself, don.[2]
  3. To assume (an appearance, role).[2]
  4. To implant, impart (a quality).[2]

Word family

  • indūcula
  • indūmentum
  • indusium
  • indūtiae
  • indūtilis
  • indutorius
  • indūtus
  • redindutus
  • superinduō
  • indūtor
  • induviae
  • exuō

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Induo.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/induo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·