Etymologically
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noceo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈnɔ.ke.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔː.t͡ʃe.o][1]

Forms

noceō (present infinitive nocēre, perfect active nocuī, supine nocitum); second conjugation[1] The Twelve Tables and Lucilius have the old subjunctive noxit.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *nokeje- (“to cause death”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *noḱ-eie- (“to make disappear, cause death”), a causative of Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- (“to perish”).[2][1] It is related to nex “violent death” and necō “to kill”.[3] Cognate with Sanskrit नाशयति (nāśáyati, “makes disappear, destroys”).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in the Twelve Tables.[2] Plautus has “say what you like, I won't hurt you”.[3]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to hurt or damage, usually with the dative, of people physically and in their interests, as in Cicero.[3][4] It was to impair a faculty, and to do moral harm, as the sweetness of poets' words has done harm.[3] Noxam nocēre was to commit an offence.[3]

Its derivatives gave innocēns “harmless, not guilty” and noxius “harmful”.[2] Through Old French nuire it gave English nuisance, first “harm”.[5] It survives as Italian nuocere and French nuire.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it with the dative.[4][6]
  • c. 1400 – English nuisance “harm” is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hurt, harm, injure, damage.[3][7]
  2. To harm (someone's interests).[3]
  3. To impair.[3]
  4. To corrupt (morally).[3]
  5. Noxam nocēre, to commit an offence.[3]

Word family

  • innocēns
  • nocentia
  • nocīvus
  • nocumentum
  • nocuus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press