Etymologically
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pertraho

Etymology and origin of the Latin word pertraho

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Vitruvius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Italic (*traxe/o-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin traho
Latin intertraho
Latin pertraho
Latin intraho

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpɛr.tra.(ɦ)oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛr.tra.o][1]

Forms

pertrahō (present infinitive pertrahere, perfect active pertrāxī, supine pertractum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin per- (“through”) + trahō (“to drag”).[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨trahō⟩ as Proto-Italic *traxe/o-.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Vitruvius and Livy, and Lewis & Short note it is not in Cicero or Caesar.[2][4] Köbler dates Vitruvius c. 84–c. 25 BC and Livy 59 BC–17 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to drag along, haul, tow, as in Vitruvius; to drag someone by force to punishment or a camp, as in Livy's aliquem in castra pertrahere; to draw on, lure an enemy, also in Livy; and to draw out or extract thoroughly, as of poison from a bite.[2][6]

Timeline

  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of hauling.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of dragging and luring.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To drag along, haul, tow.[2]
  2. To drag by force (to punishment or some other fate).[2]
  3. To draw on, lure (an enemy).[2]
  4. To draw out, extract thoroughly.[2]

Word family

  • pertractus
  • pertractō

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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.
Cite this entry

“Pertraho.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/pertraho. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·