praecipio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [prae̯ˈkɪ.pi.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [preˈt͡ʃiː.pi.o]^[1]

Forms

praecipiō (present infinitive praecipere, perfect active praecēpī, supine praeceptum); third (-iō variant) conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin prae- (“before”) + capiō (“to take”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨capiō⟩ to Proto-Italic *kap-i-, from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂p-i- (“to seize”) or a non-Indo-European ⟨*kap-i-⟩.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of giving notice, and Cato, of giving orders.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC and Cato 234–149 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to seize beforehand, take first, as in Sallust and Caesar; to take before something else, as in Lucretius; to anticipate, forestall, as in Livy; to form an impression in advance, have a foretaste of, as in Cicero's animō praecipere “to anticipate in the mind”; to give notice or advice, as in Plautus; to advise, recommend; and to enjoin, order, as in Cato.^[2][5] Lewis & Short note that it was used especially in the figurative senses of teaching and instructing.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to instruct, teach, command, advise, warn, prescribe, preach, anticipate.^[7] Its derivatives include praeceptum “precept” and praeceptor “teacher”.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of advice.^[2][4]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of orders.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of anticipation.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To seize beforehand, take first.^[2]
2. To anticipate, forestall; to have a foretaste of.^[2]
3. To give notice or advice of; to advise, recommend.^[2]
4. To enjoin, order; to teach.^[2][6]

Word family

• praeceptiō
• praeceptīuus
• praeceptō
• praeceptor
• praeceptrix
• praeceptum
• praeceptus
• praecipuus

Related words

• capiō

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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson