ineo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɪ.ne.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiː.ne.o]^[1]

Forms

ineō (present infinitive inīre, perfect active iniī or inīvī, supine initum); irregular conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from in- (“in, into”) and eō “to go”, inherited from Proto-Italic *eneō.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Ennius, of beginning an undertaking.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to go into, enter a place, as Livy's in urbem inīre, and to enter and take part in a social occasion or joint activity.^[2][4] Of animals it meant to cover, mount, as in Varro.^[2] It meant to enter on an office, to take on a duty or a danger, to enter into an agreement, with grātiam inīre “to win favour”, as in Plautus, and to begin an undertaking, with cōnsilium inīre “to form a plan”.^[2] Ratiōnem inīre meant to make a calculation, as in Terence.^[2] Of time it meant to begin, as Cicero's ineunte vēre “at the beginning of spring”.^[2][4] Döderlein says inīre is almost always figurative, engaging in something, while intrō and ingredior are literal entering.^[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to enter, undertake, begin, with foedus inīre “to form a pact”.^[6] Its noun initium “beginning” lies behind English initial, through initiālis, recorded in the 1520s.^[7]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of beginning.^[2][3]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses grātiam inīre.^[2][3]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses ratiōnem inīre.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ineunte vēre.^[4][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To go into, enter.^[2]
2. To take part in.^[2]
3. (of animals) To cover, mount.^[2]
4. To enter on (office); to undertake.^[2]
5. To enter into (an agreement), grātiam inīre, to win favour.^[2]
6. To begin, cōnsilium inīre, to form a plan.^[2]
7. ratiōnem inīre, to calculate.^[2]
8. (of time) To begin.^[2]

Word family

• initium
• initus
• initiō

Related words

• eō
• English initial

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com