langueo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɫaŋ.ɡʷe.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlaŋ.ɡʷe.o]^[1]

Forms

langueō (present infinitive languēre); second conjugation, no perfect or supine stems^[1]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Italic *(s)lang-u-, perhaps Proto-Indo-European *sl-n-ǵ-u- (“weak, faint”), a nasalized form of the root of laxus “slack”.^[2][1][3] De Vaan thinks it was based on an adjective *langu(o)- “faint”.^[2] Cognate with Ancient Greek λαγαρός (lagarós, “slack, thin”), Old Norse slakr (“slack”) and English slack.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Accius.^[2] Cicero writes that he was tired from his journey and out of sorts.^[3] Köbler dates Accius 170–c. 90 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to be physically sluggish, faint or weak, as from illness, and of plants to droop or wilt, as the hyacinth in Virgil.^[3] Figuratively it was to be idle or inert, as a sinking people that the orator must rouse, and of feelings to lack vigour, as love without a rival in Ovid.^[3] Martial says the sea “languishes” when it is calm.^[5]

Its derivatives languor and languēscō stand behind English languor, about 1300, and through Old French languir English languish in the early 14th century.^[6]

Timeline

• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero says he was worn out from a journey.^[3][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of a drooping hyacinth.^[3][4]
• early 14th century – English languish is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To be faint, sluggish, weak.^[3]
2. (of plants) To droop, wilt.^[3]
3. To be idle, inert.^[3]
4. (of feelings) To lack vigour, languish.^[3]

Word family

• languefaciō
• languēscō
• languidus
• languificus
• languor
• languēns

Related words

• languidē
• languidulus
• laxus
• English languish
• English languor
• English slack

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com