recommendo

Forms

recommendo (present infinitive recommendare); first conjugation^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin re- + commendō (“to entrust, commend”), formed in Medieval Latin.^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in charters of 961.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Niermeyer gives a wide range of senses: to grant anew, to entrust, to summon or notify someone, to praise or commend someone, and even to confine or imprison.^[1] In British sources it is used of commending a person or a soul to God, a body to burial, or something to memory, of presenting someone as worthy of favour, and of praising.^[2] Du Cange records the phrase recommendare castrum, to entrust the keeping of a castle to someone.^[5]

English took it over as recommend in the late 14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 961 – First recorded, in charters.^[3]
• 1216 – A charter speaks of entrusting a castle.^[5]
• 1225 – A British record uses it for praising someone's constancy.^[2]
• late 14th century – Borrowed into English as recommend.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. (Medieval Latin) To entrust, commit; to commend a soul to God.^[1][2]
2. (Medieval Latin) To grant anew.^[1]
3. (Medieval Latin) To summon, notify.^[1]
4. (Medieval Latin) To recommend, praise; to present as worthy of favour.^[1][2]
5. (Medieval Latin) To confine, imprison.^[1]

Word family

• recommendātiō

Related words

• English recommend

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
2. ^ a b c d e f Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre