Etymologically
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notesco

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [noːˈteːs.koː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [noˈtɛs.ko][1]

Forms

nōtēscō (present infinitive nōtēscere, perfect active nōtuī); third conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin nōtus (“known, famous”) + -ēscō, an inchoative.[2][1][3] nōtus is the past participle of nōscō (“to get to know”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *gnōske- and Proto-Indo-European *ǵnh3-sḱé- (“to get to know”).[4] Cognate with Sanskrit जानाति (jānā́ti, “knows”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest literary use is in Catullus, who wishes that someone may become better and better known after his death: notescatque magis mortuus atque magis.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It means to become known, of facts,[2] as in an inscription, and of persons to become personally known to someone: Tacitus says that even to be known to Sejanus' freedmen was thought a fine thing.[2] It is also to become well known or famous, as in Catullus and in Propertius, of the fame of a tomb.[2][3] Tacitus uses it of becoming notorious for crimes, and of news that became known to Tiberius.[3] Lewis & Short call it poetic and post-Augustan.[3]

Timeline

  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus, of becoming famous after death.[2][3][5]
  • 57/46–12 BC – Propertius, of the fame of a tomb.[3][5]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus, of becoming known and notorious.[2][3][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To become known.[2][3][1]
  2. Of persons: to become personally known (to someone).[2]
  3. To become well known, famous; to become notorious.[2][3][1]

Word family

  • ēnotēscō
  • innōtēscō
  • pernōtēscō

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de