Etymologically
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pando

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpan.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpan.do][1]

Forms

pandō (present infinitive pandere, perfect active pandī, supine passum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *pand-n-, from the nasal present Proto-Indo-European *pt-n(é)-h₂- (“to spread”) of the root *peth₂-.[2][1] Its participle passus keeps the unnasalized root, as does pateō “to lie open”, which the OLD compares.[2][3] Cognate with Oscan patensíns (“they would open”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius.[2] Plautus has “open quickly this door of Hell”.[3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to spread out or extend hands, wings or a cloth, and passīs manibus “with outspread hands”, passus capillus “loosened hair” and vēlīs passīs “under full sail” were common phrases.[3][5] It also meant to open a door or gate, to open up a way, to disclose or reveal what was hidden, and to make known in words, as Lucretius promises to unfold the first beginnings of things.[3]

Its compound expandō gave English expand in the early 15th century and English expanse in the 1660s.[6] The noun passus “step” is from the same root, and through Vulgar Latin *passāre and French passer it lies behind English passage.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has a door of Hell opened.[3][4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius promises to unfold the first principles of things.[3][4]
  • early 15th century – English expand is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To spread out, extend (hands, wings, sails).[3]
  2. To open (a door, a way).[3]
  3. To disclose, uncover.[3]
  4. To make known, reveal.[3]

Word family

  • dispandō
  • expandō
  • oppandō
  • pandiculor
  • pānsa
  • passim
  • passum
  • passus
  • praepandō

Usage notes

Pandō, pandāre “to bend”, from pandus “curved”, is a different verb of the first conjugation.[3][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com