Etymologically
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socio

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsɔ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɔː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

sociō (present infinitive sociāre, perfect active sociāvī, supine sociātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from socius “companion, ally” with the verbal suffix -ō.[2][1][3] Socius goes back to the root Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”).[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Cicero, of uniting persons in partnership.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to attach a person to another as partner or associate, to unite in partnership, in marriage, as in Virgil, in an alliance, as in Livy, or by kinship.[2] It also meant to make one's plans or resources common with another's, to share goods, as Cicero's sharing of a throne, and to combine or unite things, as in Horace.[2][3] Lewis and Short note that Cicero mostly uses it of things.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to share in, unite, join.[7] English associate comes from its compound associāre in the mid-15th century, and English association in the 1530s.[4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of partnership and of sharing a throne.[2][3][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of marriage.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of alliances.[2][5]
  • mid-15th century – English associate is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To unite as partners, associate.[2]
  2. To unite in marriage, alliance or kinship.[2]
  3. To make common (plans, resources).[2]
  4. To share (goods).[2]
  5. To combine, unite (things).[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson