Etymologically
Log in

protego

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 01:42. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈproː.tɛ.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɔː.te.ɡo][1]

Forms

prōtegō (present infinitive prōtegere, perfect active prōtēxī, supine prōtēctum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin prō- (“before, in front”) + tegō (“to cover”).[2][1] The verb tegō is inherited from Proto-Italic *teg-e/o- (“to cover”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg-e/o- (“to cover”), cognate with Ancient Greek στέγω (stégō, “to cover, keep off”), Old Irish teg (“house”) and Lithuanian stógas (“roof”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Caesar uses it of tents covered with ivy and of rafts shielded with hurdles.[2][4] Köbler dates Caesar's works to about 50 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense was to cover in front, to overlay or shield, and Cicero uses it of a house given a projecting roof.[6][2] From this it meant to give a protective covering against weapons, to defend against attack, and to keep out cold or frost.[2] Lewis and Short give dēfendō and tūtor as synonyms.[6]

It survives in Italian proteggere, French protéger and Spanish proteger.[1] English protect, from the participle prōtēctus, is recorded in the early 15th century.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of tents covered with ivy.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a projecting roof.[6][5]
  • early 15th century – English protect is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To cover, overlay, shield.[2]
  2. To give a protective covering against weapons.[2]
  3. To protect, defend.[2]
  4. To keep out (cold, frost).[2]

Word family

  • imprōtectus
  • prōtēctiō
  • prōtēctor
  • protectorius
  • prōtectum
  • prōtectus

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 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. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com