Etymology and origin of the Latin word saporo
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- c. 160–220 AD, Tertullian
- Ultimate origin
- Latin sapor
Forms
sapōrō (present infinitive sapōrāre, perfect active sapōrāvī, supine sapōrātum); first conjugation[1]
Etymology
It is from Latin sapor (“taste, flavour”), with the verbal ending -ō.[2][3]
Earliest recorded meaning
VoLat cites it from Tertullian,[4] meaning to make tasty, to season.[4][2]
Semantic evolution
It is a Late Latin verb for flavouring food.[1][2] Dracontius uses it in his poem on the praises of God,[3][5] and Fulgentius has it figuratively, of style “seasoned” with Attic wit (Atticā saporante salsurā).[2][3]
The past participle saporatus is recorded separately by Georges.[2]
Timeline
Meanings
Verb
- (transitive, Late Latin) To flavour, make tasty, season.[1][2][3]
- (figurative) To give flavour to (style or speech).[2][3]
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
- ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
- ^ a b c VoLat: Vocabolario della Lingua Latina (2018), Milan: Hoepli
- ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry
“Saporo.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/saporo. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.
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