Etymologically
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pario

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpa.ri.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpaː.ri.o][1]

Forms

pariō (present infinitive parere or parīre, perfect active peperī, supine paritum or partum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *par-(e)i- (“to bear; to procure”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *pérh₃-i- (“to provide”).[2] Schrijver explains ⟨par-⟩ from *prH- before a vowel, which de Vaan finds better than the older idea of a change *pera- > *para-.[2] Cognate with Faliscan peparai (“I have procured”), Ancient Greek ἔπορον (époron, “I gave”) and Old Irish ernaid (“grants”).[2][1] De Vaan explains the two senses, to give birth and to procure, from a common sense “to provide”, the same root as in parō.[2] The TLL notes that Lithuanian perėti (“to brood, hatch”) comes closest in form and meaning.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest example is the Old Latin Garigliano bowl, with nei pari “do not appropriate”; the Twelve Tables use it of winning a crown, and Livius Andronicus is the first literary author.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In literature it meant above all to give birth, of women and female animals, and to lay eggs.[4] The earth and nature were said to bring forth things, countries to produce them, and minds to create works.[4] From the older sense of procuring came “to bring about, get, win”, as in victōriam parere “to win a victory”, and the participle parta “gains, savings”.[4] It also meant to cause something, as when Terence says that truth breeds hatred.[4]

Its derivatives include parēns “parent” and partus “birth”, parēns is the source of English parent.[2][5] The verb survives in Italian parire, Spanish parir and Portuguese parir.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – the Twelve Tables use it of winning a crown.[4][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of giving birth to twins.[4][6]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence says that truth breeds hatred.[4][6]
  • early 15th century – English parent is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To give birth to, bear (of women and female animals).[4]
  2. To lay (eggs); to spawn.[4][1]
  3. (of the earth, nature, countries) To bring forth, produce.[4]
  4. To create (a work of the mind).[4]
  5. To bring about, get, procure, parta, acquisitions, savings.[4]
  6. To give rise to, cause.[4]

Word family

  • antepartum
  • appario
  • expartus
  • parēns
  • parta
  • partiō
  • partitūdō

Usage notes

A different first-conjugation verb pariō, pariāre “to settle a debt”, from pār “equal”, is found in the jurists and inscriptions.[4][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press