Etymologically
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solido

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 23:28. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsɔ.lɪ.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɔː.li.do][1]

Forms

solidō (present infinitive solidāre, perfect active solidāvī, supine solidātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin solidus (“solid”) + -ō.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Virgil, in the Georgics, says a threshing floor must be made solid with sticky clay so weeds do not come up.[2][3] Köbler dates Virgil 70–19 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make solid or dense, and Lewis & Short note it is not found before the Augustan age and is mostly passive.[3][2] Vitruvius uses it of ramming a site firm, and Tacitus and Pliny the Younger of strengthening.[5][6] In medicine it meant to knit broken bones, and it was also used of joining metal by soldering.[2]

Its descendants include Italian saldare, French souder and Spanish soldar “to weld, solder”.[1] English solder is recorded in the early 14th century from Old French soudure, from souder, from this verb.[7]

Timeline

  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a threshing floor.[2][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of building ground.[5][4]
  • early 14th century – English solder is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To make solid, firm or dense.[2][1]
  2. To strengthen, consolidate.[2][1]
  3. To knit broken bones; to join by solder.[2][1]

Word family

  • cōnsolidō
  • ēsolidō
  • persolido
  • praesolidō
  • solidamen
  • solidamentum
  • solidātiō
  • solidatrix
  • solidescō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com