Etymologically
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inficio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word inficio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (faciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ĩːˈfɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɱˈfiː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

īnficiō (present infinitive īnficere, perfect active īnfēcī, supine īnfectum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from in- “in” and faciō “to do, make”, literally “to put in”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of dyeing.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to dip in a dye, to stain, as in Plautus, and in Ovid to discolour, stain with blood.[2] In Virgil it meant to impregnate with a substance or smell, and to taint, poison, infect.[2] In Cicero it meant to make a stain sink in, figuratively.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to stain, pollute, infect, dip.[5] Its participle īnfectus gave English infect in the late 14th century, and its noun īnfectiō gave English infection.[3][1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of dyeing.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of poisoning, infecting.[2][4]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of staining with blood.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English infect is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To dye.[2]
  2. To discolour, stain.[2]
  3. To impregnate (with a substance).[2]
  4. To taint, poison, infect.[2]

Word family

  • īnfectiō
  • infectīuus
  • īnfector
  • infectrix
  • īnfectus
  • inficiscō

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 l 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 d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Inficio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/inficio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·