Etymologically
Log in

reverso

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 18:49. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [rɛˈwɛr.soː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [reˈvɛr.so][1]

Forms

reversō (present infinitive reversāre, perfect active reversāvī, supine reversātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

Found only in Late Latin, it is from Latin re- + versō (“to turn often, turn about”).[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in Late Latin, first in Augustine's Confessions, in the phrase versa et reversa, “turned this way and turned back”, meaning to turn round.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The Vulgate uses it of bread that is not turned over, and Isidore of Seville of ash-baked bread that is turned in the ashes.[2] Vegetius has it as a middle verb, and the passive participle means turned back.[2]

It lived on in the Romance languages: Italian rovesciare and riversare, Romanian revărsa, Spanish rebosar, Catalan revessar and Portuguese revessar.[1]

Timeline

  • 354–430 AD – Augustine writes versa et reversa in the Confessions.[2][3]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of bread left unturned.[2][3]
  • c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it as a middle verb.[2][3]
  • c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville uses it of bread turned in the ashes.[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (Late Latin) To turn back, turn round.[1][2]
  2. (Late Latin) To turn over, invert.[1][2]

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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de