Etymologically
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per-

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Forms

per- [1] Before ⟨l⟩ it is sometimes assimilated, as in pellegō and pellūceō beside the forms in perl-.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *peri-, the prefix use of the preposition per (“through”),[1][3] from Proto-Indo-European *péri (“across”).[3] The same prefix is found as Oscan per- and Umbrian per-; beyond Italic, de Vaan compares Sanskrit परि (pári, “around, about”), Ancient Greek περί (perí, “around; exceedingly”) and Lithuanian per̃ (“over, through”).[3] The intensive per- with adjectives (“very”) was explained by Leumann from the postposition ⟨-per⟩; de Vaan finds this unlikely and takes such adjectives as modelled on verbs in per- meaning “thoroughly”, such as percoquō (“to cook thoroughly”).[3] Pokorny thought the sense “very” had already arisen in Proto-Indo-European, comparing Greek περικαλλής (perikallḗs, “very beautiful”).[4]

Semantic evolution

With verbs it added the idea of going through, of thoroughness or completion, of destruction or upset, or simply intensity.[2] Before adjectives and adverbs it means “very”, a use that was free and productive, often with tmesis.[2]

Meanings

Prefix

  1. Through, across: percurrō, pervagor, pervigilō.[2][1]
  2. Thoroughly, to the end, completely: peragō, perficiō, perveniō.[2][1]
  3. To ruin, amiss: perdō, pervertō.[2]
  4. (intensive with verbs) Greatly, very much: percupiō, perdoleō.[2][1]
  5. (with adjectives and adverbs) Very, exceedingly: perbrevis, permagnus, perbonus.[2][1][3]

Word family

Usage notes

Tmesis is common with the adjectival prefix, which can be separated from its adjective by other words.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 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
  4. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke