Etymologically
Log in

proscribo

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word proscribo

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*skreibʰ-e/o-)

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [proːsˈkriː.boː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [prosˈkriː.bo][1]

Forms

prōscrībō (present infinitive prōscrībere, perfect active prōscrīpsī, supine prōscrīptum); third conjugation[1] An inscribed law spells it proscreib-.[2]

Etymology

It is formed from prō- (“before, in front”) and scrībō (“to write”), literally “to write in front of”.[3][2][4] De Vaan derives ⟨scrībō⟩ from Proto-Italic *skreif-e/o- (“to carve”) and Proto-Indo-European *skreibʰ-e/o- (“to carve”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in a law inscribed on bronze, which orders names to be posted up openly in the forum, and in Cicero's speeches against Verres, of a contract let out on a day not publicly announced.[3][6]

Semantic evolution

It is to announce publicly in writing or post up, as Cicero's “he had it posted up that he wanted the senate to attend in full”, and in Ulpian to record in writing.[3][6] It is to advertise something for sale or lease, as Cicero's “I have advertised my Tusculan villa”, and to announce the forced sale of confiscated property, as in Cicero's speech on the agrarian law.[3][6][1]

It is to publish someone's name in a list of outlaws, to proscribe or outlaw, as in Cicero's Pro Cluentio, Nepos' account of Antony's hatred of Cicero's friends, and Florus of the dictator Sulla's proscription of his enemies.[3][6][1] Petronius uses it of faces “written over” with brands.[6]

Church Latin glosses it “publish, make known publicly, proscribe, outlaw”.[7] English proscribe, in the early 15th century, first meant to write in front, to prefix.[4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of notices, sales and outlawing.[3][8]
  • c. 100–24 BC – Nepos of Antony's wish to proscribe Cicero's friends.[3][8]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of the outlawed Rupilius Rex.[3][8]
  • early 15th century – Borrowed into English as proscribe.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To publish in writing, post up; to record in writing.[3][6][1][7]
  2. To advertise (for sale or lease); to announce the confiscation of (property).[3][6][1]
  3. To proscribe, outlaw.[3][6][1][7]
  4. To write over, inscribe.[6]

Word family

  • prōscrīptiō
  • proscriptor
  • prōscrīptūra
  • prōscrīpturiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Proscribo.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/proscribo. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·