signo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsɪŋ.noː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsiɲ.ɲo]^[1]

Forms

signō (present infinitive signāre, perfect active signāvī, supine signātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is derived from sīgnum “mark, sign”.^[2][3][1] The noun is Proto-Italic *sekno-, from Proto-Indo-European *sek(h₂)-no- (“something cut out”), from the root of secō “to cut”, with a change of meaning from “carved mark” to “sign”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,^[3] who has someone mark the place where a casket fell.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to mark with a sign, as Plautus' marked spot, to leave a trace on, as Horace's child who marks the ground with a steady foot, and to point out or indicate, as Virgil's arrow that marked its path with flame.^[2] It meant to make known, to draw attention to, and to stamp with a figure, as Ovid's wax stamped with new shapes.^[2]

It meant to coin money, as in Cicero's laws and in Livy, and to seal a letter or document, as Plautus' letters sealed with pitch.^[2] English sign came partly from it, through Old English segnian and Old French, in the early 13th century.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of marking a spot and of sealing letters.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of coining money.^[2][6]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of an arrow marking its path.^[2][6]
• early 13th century – English sign (“make the sign of the cross”) is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To mark.^[2][1]
2. To leave a trace on.^[2]
3. To point out, indicate.^[2][1]
4. To make known, express.^[2][1]
5. To emphasise by a sign.^[2]
6. To stamp (with a figure).^[2][1]
7. To coin (money).^[2]
8. To seal (a document).^[2][1]

Word family

• assignō
• circumsignō
• cōnsignō
• dēsignō
• exsignō
• obsignō
• persignō
• praesignō
• resignō
• signāculum
• signātim
• signatio

Related words

• signum
• English sign

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de