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permoveo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word permoveo

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Lucretius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*mewh₁-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin moveo
Latin demoveo
Latin amoveo
Latin permoveo
Latin admoveo
Latin dimoveo

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pɛrˈmɔ.we.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [perˈmɔː.ve.o][1]

Forms

permoveō (present infinitive permovēre, perfect active permōvī, supine permōtum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin per- + moveō (“to move”).[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨moveō⟩ to Proto-Italic *mow(a)-, from Proto-Indo-European *mi̯ewh₁- (“to move”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucretius, mare permōtum ventīs “the sea stirred by winds”.[2][4] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short note that the literal sense, to move or stir violently, agitate, is very rare, as in Lucretius and Columella.[4][6] It was mostly used figuratively: to influence a person or mind, sway, move, rouse, as in Cicero and Caesar; to affect with violent emotion, excite; and in Quintilian to provoke physical conditions or feelings.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to agitate, arouse.[7] It survives in Italian permuovere.[1]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the sea.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of swaying minds.[2][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of provoking feelings.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To stir violently, agitate.[2]
  2. To influence, sway, rouse.[2]
  3. To affect with violent emotion, excite.[2]
  4. To provoke (physical conditions, feelings).[2]

Word family

  • permōtiō
  • permōtus

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. ^ 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Permoveo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/permoveo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·