repraesento

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [rɛ.prae̯ˈsɛn.toː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [re.preˈs̬ɛn.to]^[1]

Forms

repraesentō (present infinitive repraesentāre, perfect active repraesentāvī, supine repraesentātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin re- + praesentō (“to present”),^[2] from praesēns “present”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero, in the Second Philippic, says he would gladly offer his life if the freedom of the state could be brought about at once by his death.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was to give immediate effect to something, to bring it into the present, and so to pay at once in ready money, as Frontinus says of a reward to traitors.^[2] It also meant to present to view or exhibit, as Celsus says a corpse shows the organs better than a living man, to present oneself in person, as Columella's bailiff, and to bring to the mind, as Quintilian speaks of images of absent things.^[2][5] It meant to revive what was lost, as Valerius Maximus says of a father's eloquence, and in art to portray, as Pliny the Elder uses it of a statue.^[2][6]

Its descendants include French représenter, Italian rappresentare and Spanish representar.^[1] English represent is recorded in the late 14th century.^[3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of immediate effect.^[2][4]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of showing.^[2][4]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of bringing images before the mind.^[5][4]
• late 14th century – English represent is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To bring about at once, give immediate effect to.^[2][1]
2. To pay at once, in ready money.^[2][1]
3. To show, exhibit, display.^[2][1]
4. To present oneself, appear in person.^[2][7]
5. To bring before the mind; to revive.^[2]
6. To portray, represent in art.^[2][6]

Word family

• repraesentātiō
• repraesentator

Related words

• praesēns
• English represent

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn