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refulgeo

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word refulgeo

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
96–55 BC, Lucretius
Ultimate origin
Latin (fulgeō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin fulgeo
Latin effulgeo
Latin refulgeo
Latin fulmen
Latin fulmino
Latin fulmineus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [rɛˈfʊɫ.ɡe.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [reˈful̠ʲ.d͡ʒe.o][1]

Forms

refulgeō (present infinitive refulgēre, perfect active refulsī); second conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1] Lucretius has a third-conjugation form refulgit.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin re- (“back”) + fulgeō (“to flash, shine”).[4][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first examples are in Lucretius, of a colour changing as it shines with straight or slanting light, and in Cicero's translation of Aratus, of the stars.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

It means to radiate light or shine brightly, of heavenly bodies, as Cicero's Dog Star and Cynosura, and to shine with reflected light or gleam;[4][2] Lewis & Short note that it is mostly poetic.[4][2] Seneca the Elder uses it of Miltiades resplendent with a general's majesty.[4] Figuratively it is to flash before the mind, as Velleius' sure hope of children that shone upon parents, and to stand out, as Propertius' fame shining from a learned grandfather.[4] Church Latin glosses it to shine brightly, glitter, illuminate.[5]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius of reflected light.[4][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of shining stars.[4][6]
  • 57/46–12 BC – Propertius of shining fame.[4][6]
  • c. 20 BC–30 AD – Velleius of hope flashing on parents.[4][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To shine brightly, radiate light; to shine with reflected light, gleam; to be resplendent.[4][2][1]
  2. To flash before the mind.[4]
  3. To be conspicuous, stand out.[4][1]

Word family

  • refulgentia
  • affulgeō
  • circumfulgeō
  • cōnfulgeō
  • effulgeō
  • fulgeō
  • interfulgeō
  • offulgeō
  • praefulgeō
  • suffulgeō
  • superfulgeō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Refulgeo.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/refulgeo. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·