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loco

Etymology and origin of the Latin word loco

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (locus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin loco
Latin locatio
English location

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɫɔ.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlɔː.ko][1]

Forms

locō (present infinitive locāre, perfect active locāvī, supine locātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from locus “place” with the verbal suffix -ō.[2][1][3] Locus comes from Old Latin stlocus.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Ennius, of placing something and of setting up buildings.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to place, put in a position, as Cicero's camp near Cybistra, to arrange words in a sentence, to station troops, as in Plautus, and to settle people.[2][5] In the passive it meant to be situated, and figuratively to be placed in circumstances or to depend on.[2] In business it meant to let out work on contract, to farm out taxes, as in Cicero, to give a girl in marriage, to hire out, lease property, and to lend money at interest, as in Plautus.[2] Plautus has the old form locāssim.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to place, hire out, rent, lease.[7] It survives in French louer “to rent” and Italian locare.[1] English locate came from its participle locātus in the 1650s, and English location from locātiō.[3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of placing.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of stationing, marrying off and lending.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of farming out taxes.[2][4]
  • 1650s – English locate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To place, put, set; to arrange.[2]
  2. To station; to settle.[2]
  3. (passive) To be situated.[2]
  4. To contract out (work); to farm out (taxes).[2]
  5. To give in marriage.[2]
  6. To hire out, lease; to lend at interest.[2]

Word family

  • ablocō
  • collocō
  • ēlocō
  • locaticius
  • locātim
  • locātiō
  • locātor
  • locātum
  • locitō
  • obloco
  • praelocō
  • relocō

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson

Derived terms

Cite this entry

“Loco.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/loco. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·