publico

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpuː.blɪ.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpuː.bli.ko]^[1]

Forms

pūblicō (present infinitive pūblicāre, perfect active pūblicāvī, supine pūblicātum); first conjugation^[1] Apuleius has the spelling pūplicō.^[2]

Etymology

It is from pūblicus “public”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of making something public property, and Varro, of confiscating.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make something public property, put it at the community's disposal, as in Cicero, and in Varro to confiscate for the state.^[2] In Livy it meant to make public, make known.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to publish, make public, and also to seize, lay waste.^[5] It survives in Italian pubblicare, French publier and Spanish publicar, and through Old French puplier it gave English publicen in the early 14th century, altered to English publish by the mid-14th century.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of public property.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of confiscating.^[2][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of making known.^[2][4]
• mid-14th century – English publish is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make public property.^[2]
2. To confiscate.^[2]
3. To make known, publish.^[2]

Word family

• pūblicātiō
• pūblicātor
• publicatrix

Related words

• pūblicus
• English publish

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 j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson