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reporto

Etymology and origin of the Latin word reporto

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (portō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈpɔr.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈpɔr.to][1]

Forms

reportō (present infinitive reportāre, perfect active reportāvī, supine reportātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and portō “to carry”.[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of bringing something back.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to carry back to its place, as Cicero's candelabrum taken back to Syria, and in Plautus to return carrying something, as amphoras brought home full of silver.[2][6][7] In Cicero it meant to carry a person back, to bring back troops, and to bring home plunder or a victory from war.[2] From Virgil it meant to bring back word, report, and glossaries explain it as refert, renūntiat.[2][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to bring back, receive.[8] It survives in Italian riportare and French rapporter, and Old French report from it gave English report in the late 14th century, “an account”.[1][4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of bringing back.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of bringing back plunder.[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of reporting.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English report is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To carry back; to bring back.[2]
  2. To bring back (a person, troops).[2]
  3. To bring home (plunder, a victory).[2]
  4. To report.[2]

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Reporto.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/reporto. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·