Etymologically
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insignio

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ĩːˈsɪŋ.ni.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [inˈsiɲ.ɲi.o][1]

Forms

īnsigniō (present infinitive īnsignīre, perfect active īnsignīvī or īnsigniī, supine īnsignītum); fourth conjugation[1] An imperfect īnsignībat occurs in Virgil and Statius.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin īnsignis (“distinguished by a mark”), with the verbal suffix ⟨-iō⟩.[1][4][5] The OLD instead takes it to be, apparently, a back-formation from the participle īnsignītus.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest example is a fragment of Plautus quoted by Festus, in which children are īnsignītī, marked with some bodily defect.[4][3]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short call it mostly post-Augustan.[3] Virgil uses it of a shield emblazoned in gold with Io, and of fields marked out with trophies;[2] Cicero has the participle of marks of truth stamped on immortal souls.[2][6] Pliny the Elder has the neuter plural participle as a noun for weals and bruises,[2][4] and Seneca and Tacitus use the verb of making oneself conspicuous.[2][5] In Tacitus' Dialogus style is decked out in showy, meretricious clothes.[6]

Medieval Latin used it of marking or identifying something, of naming and designating, of stamping a coin and of sealing or signing a document.[7] Ecclesiastical Latin added the senses to adorn, honour and endow.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the participle of children marked with a defect.[4][9]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a shield and of fields marked with trophies.[2][9]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses the participle for bruises.[2][9]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of making oneself conspicuous.[2][9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To mark with a distinguishing feature or emblem.[2][3]
  2. To impress or stamp (a mark).[2][6]
  3. To mark with weals or bruises;[2][4] (neuter plural participle as noun) bruises.[2][4]
  4. To adorn with marks of honour.[2]
  5. To make noteworthy, distinguish;[2][5] (passive) to make oneself conspicuous.[2][5]
  6. (Medieval Latin) To name, designate; to seal or sign (a document).[7]

Word family

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de