Etymologically
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perimo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpɛ.rɪ.moː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛː.ri.mo][1]

Forms

perimō (present infinitive perimere, perfect active perēmī, supine perēmptum); third conjugation[1] The original form peremō is quoted from Cato by Festus.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *per-emō, from per- “thoroughly” and emō “to take”, so “to take away entirely”.[3][1][2] De Vaan traces ⟨emō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- (“to take”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Festus quotes the form peremō from Cato, whom Köbler dates 234–149 BC.[2][5] The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to reduce to nothing, destroy, annihilate, and especially to kill, as in Cicero, and Cicero also used it of putting an end to feelings and plans.[3][6]

Its derivative perēmptor “destroyer” gave Late Latin perēmptōrius “destructive, decisive”, the source of English peremptory in the mid-15th century, first a legal term.[7]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses the form peremō.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of destroying.[3][5]
  • mid-15th century – English peremptory is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To destroy, annihilate; to kill.[3]
  2. To put an end to.[3]

Word family

  • peremptālis
  • peremptio
  • perēmptor
  • peremptrix
  • semiperemptus
  • peremptōrius

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  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. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com