Etymologically
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inhibeo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪˈnɪ.be.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iˈniː.be.o][1]

Forms

inhibeō (present infinitive inhibēre, perfect active inhibuī, supine inhibitum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from in- and habeō “to have, hold”, with the vowel weakened to /i/.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨habeō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European ⟨*gʰh₁bʰ-⟩ “to take”, with Oscan pruhipid (“would prevent”) formed like it.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of bringing authority to bear on someone.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bring authority or discipline to bear on someone, as in Plautus, and in Ovid to hold back from moving.[2] In Livy it was the nautical term inhibēre rēmīs “to back water”, and to put a check to an activity; in Cicero it meant to restrain people from a course of action.[2]

It survives in Italian inibire and Spanish inhibir, and gave English inhibit in the early 15th century, “to forbid, prohibit”.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of authority.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of restraining people.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of backing water.[2][5]
  • early 15th century – English inhibit is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring to bear, exert (authority).[2]
  2. To hold back, restrain.[2]
  3. (nautical) To back water.[2]
  4. To check, prevent, repress.[2]

Word family

  • inhibitiō
  • inhibitus

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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de