Etymologically
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occupo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word occupo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Livius Andronicus
Ultimate origin
Latin (capiō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɔk.kʊ.poː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔk.ku.po][1]

Forms

occupō (present infinitive occupāre, perfect active occupāvī, supine occupātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from ob- and a form of the root of capiō “to seize”.[2][1][3] De Vaan, citing Steinbauer, explains the first conjugation as a derivation through the suffix ⟨-ō, -āre⟩ from an intermediate form, according to Wiktionary, and the TLL compares anticipō.[1][3] Plautus has ⟨occupāssis⟩ and ⟨occupāssit⟩.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Livius Andronicus, of taking up a position.[2] Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to seize, grasp, as in Virgil, and in Plautus to appropriate, seize by force, and in Sallust to seize political control.[2] In Cicero it meant to take possession of land, to assume a position, and in Horace of diseases to invade.[2] It meant to take up a position, reach a place, to fill space and time, as in Varro and Celsus.[2] From Plautus it meant to engross, occupy one's attention, to invest money, to take someone by surprise, and to do something first, anticipate.[2] In Ovid it meant to take the lead in a race.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to occupy, seize, take, invest, lend.[6] It was borrowed into Italian as occupare and French occuper, and Old French gave English occupy in the mid-14th century, and occupātiō gave English occupation.[1][7]

Timeline

  • 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of taking a position.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of seizing and of forestalling.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of occupying land.[2][5]
  • mid-14th century – English occupy is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To seize, grasp; to appropriate; to seize control of.[2]
  2. To take possession of, occupy.[2]
  3. Of diseases or feelings, to seize.[2]
  4. To assume; to seize (an opportunity).[2]
  5. To take up a position; to reach.[2]
  6. To fill (space, time).[2]
  7. To engross; to keep busy.[2]
  8. To invest (money).[2]
  9. To forestall, take by surprise; to anticipate.[2]
  10. To take the lead.[2]

Word family

  • occupātīcius
  • occupātiō
  • occupātor
  • occupātus
  • praeoccupō
  • superoccupō
  • exoccupō
  • occupātōrius

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 k l m n o p q r s t u Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Occupo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/occupo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·