Etymologically

invado

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 14:21. This address is a permanent link to this version.

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪnˈwaː.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɱˈvaː.do][1]

Forms

invādō (present infinitive invādere, perfect active invāsī, supine invāsum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from in- “in, into” and vādō “to go, rush”.[2][1][3][4] Lucilius has ⟨invāsse⟩.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of a disease coming on.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to enter in hostile fashion, attack, invade, as Cicero's in urbem invādere, and to set on a person, and to attack with words.[2][7] In Terence it was used of diseases, and in Caesar of emotions, coming on, and Cicero's plague invading the life of men.[2][7] In Cicero it meant to rush on to seize or to embrace, to seize possession, to usurp a title, and in Tacitus to seize control.[2] From Accius it meant to go in boldly, from Lucilius to plunge into a course of action, and in Quintilian to seize on an idea.[2] Döderlein explains that invādere means to fall upon boldly, while irruere is to rush on rashly.[8]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to invade, enter, assault, attack.[9] It survives in Italian invadere and French envahir, and English invade came in the late 15th century.[1][4] Late Latin invāsiō gave English invasion.[1][4]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a disease.[2][6]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of emotions.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of attacking a city.[2][7][6]
  • late 15th century – English invade is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To attack, invade.[2]
  2. To set on; to attack in words.[2]
  3. Of diseases and feelings, to come on, seize.[2]
  4. To rush on; to seize possession of; to usurp.[2]
  5. To enter boldly; to plunge into.[2]
  6. To push one's way into (office).[2]

Word family

  • invāsor

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from irruō, to rush on hastily, and irrumpō, to force one's way in.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  9. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson