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praesumo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word praesumo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Virgil
Ultimate origin
Latin (sūmō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [prae̯ˈsuː.moː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [preˈs̬uː.mo][1]

Forms

praesūmō (present infinitive praesūmere, perfect active praesūmpsī, supine praesūmptum); third conjugation[1] Perfect praesūmpsī or praesūmsī.[2]

Etymology

It is from prae- “before” and sūmō “to take”.[3][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Virgil, of anticipating.[3] Köbler dates Virgil 70–19 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to consume beforehand, as of antidotes in Tacitus, and in Ovid; to take on oneself beforehand, as in Seneca; to enjoy or perform before the time, anticipate, as in Virgil; and to take for granted, presuppose, assume, as in Quintilian.[3][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to presume, take for granted, take before, anticipate.[7] English presume (late 14th century, “to take upon oneself”, and “to take for granted”) came through Old French.[4]

Timeline

  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it.[3][5]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it.[3][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of assuming.[3][5]
  • late 14th century – English presume is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To take or consume beforehand.[3]
  2. To anticipate.[3]
  3. To take for granted, presume, assume.[3]

Word family

  • praesūmptiō
  • praesumptor

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d 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.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Praesumo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/praesumo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·