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nescio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word nescio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (sciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈnɛs.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɛʃ.ʃi.o][1]

Forms

nesciō (present infinitive nescīre, perfect active nescīvī or nesciī, supine nescītum); fourth conjugation[1] The final o is regularly short in nesciŏ in verse.[2]

Etymology

It is from ne- “not” and sciō “to know”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, as quid dīcam nesciō “I don't know what to say”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant not to know a fact, as in Plautus, and in Terence to be unfamiliar with a person or thing; with an infinitive, from Plautus, not to know how, to be unable.[2] In Cicero nesciō an meant “I am inclined to think, perhaps”.[2] From Plautus nesciō quis meant someone or other, nesciō quī some, often slighting, and nesciō ubi, nesciō unde somewhere, from somewhere.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to be ignorant of, not know, and nesciō quis some one or other.[5] In Proto-Romance nesciō quid became an indefinite meaning “a certain amount of”, and nesciō quālis an adjective meaning “a certain”.[6] Its participle nesciēns gave English nescient in the early 15th century.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of not knowing and in nesciō quis.[2][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of being unfamiliar.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses nesciō an.[2][4]
  • early 15th century – English nescient is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. Not to know.[2]
  2. To be unfamiliar with.[2]
  3. Not to know how; to be unable.[2]
  4. nesciō an, perhaps, probably.[2]
  5. nesciō quis, someone or other, nesciō quī, some.[2]
  6. nesciō ubi, nesciō unde, somewhere, from somewhere.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ Buchi, Éva; Schweickard, Wolfgang, eds. (2008–), Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom), Nancy: ATILF, http://www.atilf.fr/DERom
Cite this entry

“Nescio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/nescio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·