repleo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈrɛ.pɫe.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈrɛː.ple.o]^[1]

Forms

repleō (present infinitive replēre, perfect active replēvī, supine replētum); second conjugation^[1] Plautus has the spelling reppl-.^[2]

Etymology

It is from re- “again” and ⟨pleō⟩ “to fill”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation for filling up is from Lucretius, whom Köbler dates 96–55 BC.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to refill, replenish, as in Cicero, and in Livy to bring up to full strength.^[2] In Lucretius it meant to fill up a space, and to fill a place with sound or light, in Virgil to sate with food, in Celsus to make swell, and in law to complete.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to fill, satisfy, refill, complete, replenish.^[5] It was borrowed into Italian replere.^[1] Its participle replētus gave English replete in the late 14th century.^[3]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of filling.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of refilling.^[2][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of bringing up to strength.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English replete is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To refill, replenish.^[2]
2. To bring up to strength; to make up.^[2]
3. To fill up; to fill (with sound or light).^[2]
4. To sate.^[2]
5. To make swell.^[2]

Word family

• irrepletus
• replētiō
• replētus

Related words

• compleō
• dēpleō
• expleō
• impleō
• oppleō
• suppleō
• English replete

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 l m 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