Etymologically
Log in

sordeo

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 20 October 2026 at 09:54. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈsɔr.de.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈsɔr.de.o][1]

Forms

sordeō (present infinitive sordēre, perfect active sorduī); second conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sordēs (“dirt”) + -eō.[2][1] De Vaan traces sordēs to Proto-Italic *swordi- (“dirt”) and Proto-Indo-European *suord-o/i-, comparing Old High German swarz (“black”); it has no further Indo-European etymology.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first author is Plautus,[2][4] whose Truculentus has someone asked whether he has bathed reply: num tibi sordere videor?, “do I look dirty to you?”[4]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense is to be dirty or soiled, as in Accius, of a hand spattered with a mother's blood, and Seneca, who says a toga should not shine but should not be dirty either.[2][4] Lewis & Short call it rare and note that Cicero does not use it.[4] Figuratively it is to seem mean or unworthy, not good enough, as in Plautus' Poenulus, where the feast day and the goddess's temple did not seem unworthy;[2] Statius uses it of words that seem poor.[2] It also means to be mean or base in spirit, as in Manilius.[2] Wiktionary adds the sense to be despised or held of no account.[1] In Church Latin it is to be dirty, foul or filthy.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, of being dirty and of seeming unworthy.[2][4][6]
  • 170–c. 90 BC – Accius, of a blood-spattered hand.[2][6]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca, of a toga.[4][6]
  • c. 45–96 AD – Statius, of poor words.[2][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To be dirty, soiled, filthy.[2][4][1][5]
  2. To seem mean, unworthy, not good enough; to be despised.[2][1]
  3. To be mean or base in spirit.[2][1]

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 i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ 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 d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de