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persisto

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word persisto

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Livy, 59 BC–17 AD
Ultimate origin
Latin sistō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin sisto
Latin persisto
From the same root
Latin armistitium ← sisto
Latin circumsisto ← sisto
Latin exsistentia ← sisto
Latin iustitium ← sisto
Latin solstitium ← sisto

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [pɛrˈsɪs.toː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [perˈsis.to][1]

Forms

persistō (present infinitive persistere, perfect active perstitī); third conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin per- + sistō (“to cause to stand, set up”).[1] De Vaan traces sistō to Proto-Italic *sista/o- and Proto-Indo-European *sti-sth2-(e/o-) (“to put up, make to stand”), a reduplicated present of the root of stō.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is rare.[3] A reading in Cicero's De finibus is uncertain;[4] Livy uses it for persisting in shamelessness.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

Later writers use it in the same sense of persisting in a vice,[3][6] and the Vulgate of persevering in prayer.[3][6] Ausonius has it in the plain sense of remaining.[3][6] Its perfect perstitī coincides with that of persto, under which Georges and Gaffiot treat the perfect forms.[6][5]

English persist came from it in the 16th century through French persister.[7]

Timeline

  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it for persisting in a vice.[3][5][8]
  • c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius uses it in the sense of remaining.[3][6][8]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of persevering in prayer.[3][6][8]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it.[4][8]
  • 1530s – English persist, from French.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To persist, continue steadfastly (in + ablative).[3][6][5][9]
  2. To remain.[3][6][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  9. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Persisto.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/persisto. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·