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revolvo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word revolvo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Latin (volvō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈwɔɫ.woː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈvɔl.vo][1]

Forms

revolvō (present infinitive revolvere, perfect active revolvī, supine revolūtum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back, again” and volvō “to roll”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of relapsing into a state.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Terence the passive meant to fall back, relapse into a state or habit.[2] In Virgil it meant to roll something back to where it came from, and to unwind, roll back to the start, as of a book or a story; in Seneca it meant to make travel in a circle, revolve.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to roll back, unroll, unwind, revolve.[5] It survives in Italian rivolgere and Spanish and Portuguese revolver, and through Old French it gave English revolve in the late 14th century; its noun revolūtiō gave English revolution.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of relapsing.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of rolling back.[2][4]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of revolving.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English revolve is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To roll back.[2]
  2. To unwind, unroll.[2]
  3. To make travel in a circle, revolve.[2]
  4. In the passive, to relapse.[2]

Word family

  • revolūbilis
  • revolūtiō
  • revolūtus

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 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
Cite this entry

“Revolvo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/revolvo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·