Etymologically

Etymology and origin of the Latin word sagino

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
116–27 BC, Varro
Ultimate origin
Latin (sagīna)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin sagina
Latin sagino

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [saˈɡiː.noː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [saˈd͡ʒiː.no][1]

Forms

sagīnō (present infinitive sagīnāre, perfect active sagīnāvī, supine sagīnātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sagīna (“fattening”) + -ō.[2][1][3] The OLD calls sagīna of unknown origin, and Walde and Köbler unexplained;[2][4][5] Wiktionary mentions a possible link with Proto-Indo-European *seh₂- (“to satisfy”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first quotation is Varro's, of oxen fattened for the public sacrifices.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It is to fatten animals and poultry for eating: Varro has young pigeons, Columella birds fattened with dumplings and a horse with barley and vetch, and Propertius a pig.[3][2] Of people it is to feed lavishly, to stuff full: the elder Seneca has a praetor stuffed at a deadly dinner, and Curtius a body fattened.[2][3] Church Latin glosses it to feed, fatten, cram full or nourish.[6]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro of oxen fattened for sacrifice.[2][5]
  • 57/46–12 BC – Propertius of a fattened pig.[3][5]
  • 1st century AD – Columella of fattening birds and a horse.[3][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To fatten (animals, poultry) for eating.[2][3][1][6]
  2. To feed lavishly, cram, stuff full; to nourish.[2][1][6]

Word family

  • sagīnātiō
  • sagīnārium

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ Walde, Alois (1906), Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Sagino.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/sagino. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·