pallesco

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [palˈleːs.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [palˈlɛs.ko]^[1]

Forms

pallēscō (present infinitive pallēscere, perfect active palluī); third conjugation, no passive, no supine stem^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin palleō (“to be pale”) + -scō, an inchoative verb.^[2][1] De Vaan derives ⟨palleō⟩ from Proto-Italic *palwo- (“pale, grey”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Accius, of growing faint.^[2] Köbler dates Accius 170–c. 90 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Of persons it meant to grow pale, lose colour, from fear or care, as in Horace; of other things, to turn pale, fade, as in Ovid; and to grow faint or dim.^[2][5] Gellius explains that those who fear turn pale because the blood leaves the face.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to grow or turn pale, lose colour.^[7]

Timeline

• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it.^[2][4]
• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of persons.^[2][4]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of fading.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To grow pale, lose one's colour.^[2]
2. (of things) To turn pale, fade.^[2]
3. To grow faint or dim.^[2]

Word family

• impallescō
• oppallesco

Related words

• palleō
• pallidus
• pallor

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson