Etymologically
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laudo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word laudo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (laus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɫau̯.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlaːu̯.do][1]

Forms

laudō (present infinitive laudāre, perfect active laudāvī, supine laudātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from laus “praise” with the verb suffix -ō.[2][1][3][4] A deponent ⟨laudor⟩ is also found.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, who says all mortals wish to be praised.[2][5] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to praise, extol, commend, approve, as in Ennius and Cicero, with various constructions, and in Cato to commend as something.[2][7] In Plautus laudō was a colloquial “excellent, well done”, and he also uses it of calling upon, naming.[2] In Cicero it meant to deliver a funeral eulogy, and in Pliny the Elder of remedies to be recommended.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to praise, glorify, commend.[8] It survives in Italian lodare, French louer and Portuguese louvar, and Old French lauder gave English laud in the late 14th century.[1][4] Its compound allaudāre lies behind English allow in its first sense “to praise”.[4]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of praising.[2][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses laudō as an exclamation.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a funeral eulogy.[2][6]
  • late 14th century – English laud is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To praise, commend, approve.[2]
  2. laudō, excellent, well done.[2]
  3. To deliver a funeral eulogy of.[2]
  4. Of remedies, to be recommended.[2]
  5. To name, call upon.[2]

Word family

  • allaudō
  • collaudō
  • dīlaudō
  • ēlaudō
  • illaudandus
  • illaudātus
  • laudābilis
  • laudātiō
  • laudātīuus
  • laudātor
  • laudātrīx
  • laudābilitās
  • laus
  • English laud
  • English laudable

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 l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b 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. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Laudo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/laudo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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