Etymologically
Log in

praelego

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 23:48. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

praelego1 bequeath beforehand

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [prae̯ˈɫeː.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [preˈlɛː.ɡo][1]

Forms

praelēgō (present infinitive praelēgāre, perfect active praelēgāvī, supine praelēgātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

The verb “to bequeath beforehand” is from Latin prae- (“before”) + lēgō (“to bequeath”).[2][1] ⟨lēgō⟩ is from lēx (“law”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *lēg-.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Among the OLD's citations is the jurist Papinian, in the Digest.[2] Gaffiot cites Pliny the Elder.[4] Köbler dates Pliny the Elder 23/24–79 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a legal term: to bequeath something to an heir before, and in addition to, his share in the general division of the estate.[2][6][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to bequeath beforehand.[7]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it.[4][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (law) To bequeath to an heir before the general division of the estate.[2][6]

Word family

  • praelēgātiō

praelego2 read aloud; sail along

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈprae̯.ɫɛ.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɛː.le.ɡo][1]

Forms

praelegō (present infinitive praelegere, perfect active praelēgī, supine praelēctum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

The verb “to read aloud, sail along” is from Latin prae- (“before”) + legō (“to gather, read”).[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨legō⟩ to Proto-Italic *leg-e-, from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-e/o- (“to collect”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Livy, of sailing along a coast.[2] Köbler dates Livy 59 BC–17 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

From the sense “pick out”, which the OLD and Gaffiot cite in Apuleius, it meant to sail along a coast, skirt, as in Livy and Tacitus; and to read before a class to explain it, read aloud, recite, as in Martial and Quintilian, whose teachers criticise the authors they read out.[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to read to others, select, choose, and sail by or along.[7] English prelect is from it.[1]

Timeline

  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of sailing along a coast.[2][5]
  • 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it of a teacher reading aloud.[2][5]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of picking out.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To pick out specially, select.[2]
  2. To sail along a coast, skirt.[2]
  3. To read before a class to explain it; to read aloud, recite.[2]

Word family

  • praelēctiō
  • praelector

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson