Etymologically

replico

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 14:34. This address is a permanent link to this version.

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈrɛ.plɪ.koː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈrɛː.pli.ko][1]

Forms

replicō (present infinitive replicāre, perfect active replicāvī, supine replicātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and plicō “to fold”.[2][1][3][4] Statius has the participle ⟨replictae⟩, and the Vulgate the perfect ⟨replicāvī⟩.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of bending back.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to fold or bend back, as in Cato and Quintilian's curling back of the lips.[2][7] In Cicero it meant to unroll a book, and figuratively to unwind a cable, review memory, and in Apuleius to turn over in the mind.[2] In Gaius it meant in law to answer a defence with a further plea, make a replication.[2] In Late Latin it meant to reply, repeat.[4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to reply, unfold again, bend back, unroll.[8] It survives in Italian ripiegare and French replier, and Old French replier gave English reply in the late 14th century, and its participle gave English replicate.[1][4]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of bending back.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of unrolling a book.[2][6]
  • 140–180 AD – Gaius uses it of a legal replication.[2][6]
  • late 14th century – English reply is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To fold back, bend back.[2]
  2. To unroll; to unwind.[2]
  3. To go over in the mind.[2]
  4. (law) To make a replication.[2]
  5. (Late Latin) To reply; to repeat.[4][8]

Word family

  • replicabilis
  • replicātiō

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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson