separo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈseː.pa.roː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛː.pa.ro]^[1]

Forms

sēparō (present infinitive sēparāre, perfect active sēparāvī, supine sēparātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sē- (“apart”) + parō (“to prepare, provide”).^[2][3] The verb parō is inherited from Proto-Italic *parāje/o-, usually explained as a verb made from a noun Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₃-o- (“providing”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Cato.^[3] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to divide something into parts or one thing from another, and, of barriers and boundaries, to keep things apart or cut off, as two seas are separated by a narrow strip.^[2] It also meant to debar from something, and to treat as distinct in thought or writing.^[2] Lewis and Short note that it is most frequent in the figurative sense.^[5]

A Vulgar Latin *sēperāre gave Old French sevrer “to separate”, later “to wean”, and English sever in the late 14th century; English separate came from the participle in the early 15th century.^[6] It also gave Italian sceverare and was borrowed as French séparer.^[1]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses the word.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of two seas separated by a narrow strip.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English sever is recorded, from Old French sevrer.^[6]
• early 15th century – English separate is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To divide, separate.^[2]
2. To keep apart; to cut off, isolate.^[2]
3. To debar, exclude.^[2]
4. To distinguish, treat as distinct.^[2][1]

Word family

• circumseparo
• dissēparō
• inseparatus
• sēparābilis
• sēparātiō
• separatiuus
• sēparātor
• separatrix
• sēparātus

Related words

• parō
• English separate
• English sever
• English several

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com