Etymologically
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persisto

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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