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participo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word participo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (pars,capiō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [parˈtɪ.kɪ.poː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [parˈtiː.t͡ʃi.po][1]

Forms

participō (present infinitive participāre, perfect active participāvī, supine participātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from particeps “sharing”, from pars “part” and capiō “to take”, with the verbal suffix -ō.[2][1][3] A deponent form occurs in an inscription and in Ulpian.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Ennius, of sharing in something with others.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to share or take part with others in something, as in Ennius, and to share knowledge with others, as in Apuleius.[2] It also meant to make someone a sharer, impart to, as in Plautus.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to share, participate, impart, acquaint.[7] It survives in French participer and Italian partecipare.[1] English participate was borrowed in the 1530s, and English partake is a loan translation of it.[3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of sharing.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of making someone a sharer.[2][6][5]
  • 1530s – English participate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To share in, participate in.[2]
  2. To share (knowledge) with.[2]
  3. To make a sharer, impart to.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Participo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/participo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·