precario

Forms

precāriō (not comparable); adverb^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin precārius (“obtained by entreaty”) + -ō.^[1][2] De Vaan lists it under prex, which he traces to Proto-Italic *prek- and Proto-Indo-European *preḱ- (“question”), comparing Sanskrit प्राश् (prā́ś-, “dispute, questioning”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^[3] in the prologue of whose Amphitruo the speaker has been told to ask the audience a favour gently and with kind words.^[1]

Semantic evolution

It is first like a suppliant, by entreaty.^[1] It also means by request or as a favour, on sufferance: an inscription says that a private road may be used by permission.^[1] From this comes the sense uncertainly, precariously: the elder Seneca says his memory now obeys him only precariously.^[1] Köbler dates it from Tacitus and finds it in early medieval formularies.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of asking a favour.^[1][3][2]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus.^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Like a suppliant, by entreaty.^[1]
2. By request, as a favour, on sufferance.^[1]
3. Uncertainly, precariously.^[1]

Related words

• precārius
• precor

References

1. ^ 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
2. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill