Etymologically
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reformo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word reformo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Ovid
Ultimate origin
Latin (fōrma)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈfoːr.moː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈfɔr.mo][1]

Forms

refōrmō (present infinitive refōrmāre, perfect active refōrmāvī, supine refōrmātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “again” and fōrmō “to shape”, from fōrma “form”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaffiot and the OLD cite Ovid's Metamorphoses, of restoring a shape.[4][2] Köbler dates Ovid 43 BC–18 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short note that it is not found before Augustus.[6] It meant to restore to a former shape or condition, and to form a new shape, as in Ovid; to alter, transform, as in Seneca; and to restore, re-establish, as in Valerius Maximus.[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to renew, reform, remake.[7] English reform (late 14th century, “restore to a better form”) came through Old French reformer and directly from Latin.[3]

Timeline

  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it.[4][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of transforming.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English reform is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To alter, transform.[2]
  2. To form anew; to restore to a former shape, restore.[2]
  3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) To renew, reform.[7]

Word family

  • refōrmātiō
  • refōrmātor
  • refōrmātus
  • reformabilis

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Reformo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/reformo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·