Etymologically
Log in

penso

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:43. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpẽː.soː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛn.so][1]

Forms

pēnsō (present infinitive pēnsāre, perfect active pēnsāvī, supine pēnsātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is the frequentative of pendō “to hang; to weigh”, formed with -tō.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨pendō⟩ to Proto-Italic *pend-e/o- (“to hang, weigh”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- (“to spin”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Sallust, of making up for something.[2] Köbler dates Sallust 86–34 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to weigh one thing against another, as in Seneca; to set money off against a debt, as in Ulpian; to exchange; to counterbalance, make up for, as in Sallust; and to weigh in the mind, ponder, as in Livy.[2] Lewis & Short note that it is rare before Augustus and absent from Cicero.[6]

Through Vulgar Latin it became French peser “to weigh”, the source of English poise, and French penser “to think”, from which English pensive comes.[3][1]

Timeline

  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of making up for.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of pondering.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English pensive and poise are recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To weigh against something.[2]
  2. To set off against a debt; to exchange.[2]
  3. To counterbalance, compensate.[2]
  4. To weigh in the mind, ponder.[2]

Word family

  • compēnsō
  • expensō
  • pensabilis
  • pensātiō
  • pensiculō
  • pēnsitō
  • perpensō
  • repensō
  • dispēnsō
  • pēnsum
  • pendō
  • English poise
  • English pensive

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 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press