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milito

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 16:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈmiː.lɪ.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmiː.li.to][1]

Forms

mīlitō (present infinitive mīlitāre, perfect active mīlitāvī, supine mīlitātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from mīles “soldier”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation, from Plautus, is of other kinds of service.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to serve as a soldier, perform military service, and by transfer to serve in other activities, as in Plautus.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to serve in the army, fight, hold office at court, and to war.[5] It survives in French militer and Italian militare, and its participle mīlitātus gave English militate in the 1620s, first “to serve as a soldier”.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of service.[2][4]
  • 1620s – English militate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To serve as a soldier.[2]
  2. To serve, labour (in another activity).[2]
  3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) To hold office at court.[5]

Word family

  • commīlitō
  • permīlitō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson