reduco

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [rɛˈduː.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈduː.ko]^[1]

Forms

redūcō (present infinitive redūcere, perfect active redūxī, supine reductum); third conjugation, irregular short imperative^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin re- + duco (“to lead”).^[2][1][3] The spelling reddūcō is also found, as in Lucretius and Terence.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, in the Captivi, says “we are bringing him back here from Elis”, and Ennius uses it of bringing people home.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to lead or bring back, and to bring home from captivity or exile.^[2][4] Caesar uses it of withdrawing an army, and Virgil of saving companions from death.^[2] It meant to draw back, as an arm before a blow, and gradum redūcere to retire.^[2] It meant to bring back a season, to revive a practice, to bring someone back to a state of mind, and to recall to mind.^[2][1] Caesar uses it of bringing a situation to a certain state, and Seneca of reducing a speed.^[2]

In medieval Latin it meant to subjugate.^[1] English reduce is recorded in the late 14th century as “bring back”, through Old French.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of bringing a man home.^[2][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of withdrawing an army.^[2][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a returning summer.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English reduce is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To lead or bring back; to bring home.^[2][4]
2. To withdraw troops.^[2][1]
3. To draw back, gradum redūcere to retire.^[2]
4. To bring back, restore, revive.^[2][1]
5. To recall to mind.^[2][1]
6. To bring to a state; to reduce, bring down.^[2][1]
7. (Medieval Latin) To subjugate.^[1]

Word family

• reductiō
• reductor
• redux
• sēmireductus
• reductō
• reductus

Related words

• abdūcō
• addūcō
• circumdūcō
• condūcō
• dēdūcō
• dīdūcō
• dūcō
• ēdūcō
• indūcō
• intrōdūcō
• English reduce

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com