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nomino

Etymology and origin of the Latin word nomino

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*h₁nómn̥)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈnoː.mɪ.noː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔː.mi.no][1]

Forms

nōminō (present infinitive nōmināre, perfect active nōmināvī, supine nōminātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from nōmen “name” with the verb suffix -ō.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨nōmen⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *h₃neh₃-mn̥ (“name”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of giving a name.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to give a name, as in Ennius and Cicero's amor, ex quō amīcitia est nōminātā; to call, describe as; to call by name aloud; to mention by name, as in Plautus; to specify, designate; to name as guilty, denounce, accuse; to nominate or appoint to an office, as in the Rhetorica ad Herennium; to count among; and in the passive to be famous.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to name, nominate.[7] It survives in French nommer, Spanish nombrar and Italian nominare.[1] Its participle nōminātus gave English nominate in the 1540s.[3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of calling and accusing.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[6][5]
  • 1540s – English nominate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To name, call.[2]
  2. To mention by name.[2]
  3. To denounce, accuse.[2]
  4. To nominate, appoint.[2]
  5. (passive) To be celebrated.[2]

Word family

  • cognōminō
  • dēnōminō
  • innōminātus
  • nōminātim
  • nōminātiō
  • nōminātīvus
  • nōminātor
  • nōminātus
  • nōminitō
  • praenōminō
  • pronomino
  • supernomino

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Nomino.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/nomino. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·