Etymologically
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pello

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpɛl.loː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛl.lo][1]

Forms

pellō (present infinitive pellere, perfect active pepulī, supine pulsum); third conjugation[1] Titinius has an old perfect polsī.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *pelna- (“to approach”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥-n(e)-h₂- (“to approach”), a nasal present, with a shift from “bring close to” to “push, impel”.[3] Cognate with Venetic poltos (“moved”), Umbrian ampentu (“let him touch”) and Old Irish ad·ella (“visits”).[3] Wiktionary derives it instead from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“to drive, strike”) and compares Ancient Greek πάλλω (pállō, “to shake, brandish”).[1][4][5] The participle pulsus replaced an older *poltos.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Naevius uses it.[3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to beat against, push or strike, as Ennius' rowers strike the water with their oars, to strike a lyre and to knock at a door.[2][4] It was to set in motion, to stir someone to action, to drive out or banish, to defeat in battle, and to fend off pain.[2]

Its compounds were very productive: appellō, compellō, expellō, impellō and repellō.[3] The frequentative pulsō gave English push through Old French.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[3][6]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius tells rowers to strike the sea with their oars.[2][6]
  • c. 1300 – English push is recorded, from Old French poulser, from pulsāre.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To beat against, push, strike; to knock at (a door); to strike (a lyre).[2][4]
  2. To set in motion, drive, impel.[2][1]
  3. To stir to action, move, affect.[2][1]
  4. To drive away, expel; to banish.[2]
  5. To rout, defeat in battle.[2][1]
  6. To fend off, repel (pain and the like).[2]

Word family

  • appellō
  • aspellō
  • compellō
  • dēpellō
  • dispellō
  • expellō
  • impellō
  • interpellō
  • perpellō
  • prōpellō
  • pulsō
  • pulsus
  • English push
  • English pulse

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 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
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com