Etymologically
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insimulo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ĩːˈsɪ.mʊ.ɫoː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [inˈsiː.mu.lo][1]

Forms

īnsimulō (present infinitive īnsimulāre, perfect active īnsimulāvī, supine īnsimulātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin in- + simulō (“to imitate, pretend”).[2][1] The verb simulō is made from similis (“like”),[1] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *semali- (“alike, together”) and Proto-Indo-European *sm̥h₂-el-i-.[3] Cognate with Ancient Greek ὁμαλός (homalós, “equal, level”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[3] who has “you do wrong to accuse an innocent woman”.[2]

Semantic evolution

It means to accuse, charge or blame, and to put forward as a charge, as Plautus' “that crime you charge us with does not befit our family”.[2] Lewis & Short describe it as making a plausible charge, true or false, against someone, especially falsely.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of accusing an innocent woman.[2][3][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To accuse, charge, blame, especially falsely.[2][4][1]
  2. To bring forward as a charge, allege.[2]

Word family

  • īnsimulātiō
  • insimulātor

Usage notes

Döderlein says that insimulāre is to accuse undeservedly or slanderously, out of suspicion, as against arguere, the general word, and accūsāre, to impeach in a criminal court.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper