se-

Forms

sē-^[1] Also sēd- (sēditiō), se- (seorsum) and so- (sōcors).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *sed, the ablative of the reflexive pronoun (sē),^[3] from Proto-Indo-European *s(w)é (“self”).^[1][3] The ablative first meant “for itself, by itself”, hence “but” as a conjunction (sed) and “without, apart” as a preposition, as in ⟨sē fraude⟩ “without fraud” in the Twelve Tables.^[3][1] The prefix ⟨sē-⟩ can come directly from ⟨sēd-⟩ before consonants; the rare ⟨se-⟩ and ⟨so-⟩ are explained either from an accusative *swe “towards oneself, separately” or from ⟨sē-⟩ shortened before a vowel and then spread by analogy.^[3]

Cognate with Umbrian seipodruhpei (“to both sides”).^[3]

Meanings

Prefix

1. Apart, aside, away (sēcēdō, sēclūdō, sēligō).^[2][1]
2. Without, lacking, as a privative (sēcūrus, sōcors).^[2][1]

Word family

• sēcēdō
• sēclūdō
• sēligō
• sēcūrus
• sōcors
• sēditiō
• sēdulō
• seorsum
• sēparō
• sēcernō
• sēdūcō
• sēgregō
• sōbrius

Related words

• sē
• sed
• suus
• dis-
• vē-

Usage notes

Wiktionary lists two other prefixes spelled sē-: one meaning “six”, from sex before voiced consonants (sēdecim), and a short form of sēmi- “half”.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill