pleo

Forms

pleō (present infinitive plēre, perfect active plēvī, supine plētum); second conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *plē- (“to fill”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”), originally an aorist stem.^[2][3] Cognate with Sanskrit पिपर्ति (píparti, “fills”) and Ancient Greek πίμπλημι (pímplēmi, “I fill”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The simple verb is cited only by grammarians: Festus reports that the ancients said plentur “they are filled” without a prefix.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to fill, fill up.^[4] It is the root of plēnus “full” and of its compounds compleō, expleō, impleō and suppleō, which are the forms in actual use.^[5]

Through these compounds it lies behind English complete, English implement, English supply and English replete.^[6]

Timeline

• late 14th century – English complete is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To fill, fill up.^[4]

Word family

• compleō
• dēpleō
• expleō
• impleō
• oppleō
• plēnus
• plētūra
• repleō
• sēmiplētus
• suppleō
• locuplēs
• manipulus

Related words

• English complete
• English replete
• English supply

Usage notes

British Medieval Latin has an unrelated pleō, a peg or thatching-pin, from Old French ploion.^[7]

References

1. ^ 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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press