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lito

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word lito

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Borrowing, Derivation
First attested
c. 280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek λιτή
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (λιτή)

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈlɪ.toː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈliː.to][1]

Forms

litō (present infinitive litāre, perfect active litāvī, supine litātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is a verb made from a noun ⟨*lita⟩, which de Vaan thinks was probably borrowed from Ancient Greek λιτή (litḗ, “prayer, request”), from a variant ⟨*λιτᾱ⟩; he compares λίσσομαι (líssomai, “to pray, beg”).[2][1][3] The TLL agrees that a noun lies behind the verb but finds its relation to the Greek word unclear.[4] Paul the Deacon's epitome of Festus reports that some took the participle as "released, given to the god", as if from luō, and others derived it from the Greek word for prayers.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan finds it first in Livius Andronicus.[2] In Plautus' Poenulus a man prays that Jupiter may make him always sacrifice and never obtain good omens, if what he denies ever happened.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

Its basic sense is to obtain favourable omens from a sacrifice, as in Plautus;[3][5] of victims it means to give favourable omens, as in Cato.[3] With the dative of a god it is to make an acceptable offering: Cicero, of the conspirators, has litēmus Lentulō, parentēmus Cethēgō, "let us sacrifice to Lentulus, make funeral offerings to Cethegus".[3] Lucan uses it transitively, to propitiate the powers of the Underworld.[3] It also means to offer something in atonement: Virgil has someone told to perform the sacred rites and indulge in hospitality.[3] The Bellum Hispaniense uses it of an offence atoned for by the punishment of the enemy.[3] Stelten gives "offer public sacrifice" for Church Latin.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus.[2][7]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of good omens never obtained.[3]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato of victims giving good omens.[3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of sacrificing to Lentulus.[3]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil of propitiatory rites.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To obtain favourable omens from a sacrifice;[3][5][1] (of victims) to give favourable omens.[3][5][1]
  2. (with dative) To make an acceptable sacrifice to;[3][1][6] (transitive) to propitiate, appease (gods).[3][1][6]
  3. To offer in propitiation; to atone for (an offence).[3][1]

Word family

  • litābilis
  • litāmen
  • litātiō
  • perlitō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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 l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Lito.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/lito. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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