Etymologically
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stabilio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 14:34. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [staˈbɪ.li.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [staˈbiː.li.o][1]

Forms

stabiliō (present infinitive stabilīre, perfect active stabilīvī, supine stabilītum); fourth conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from stabilis “firm, steady” with the suffix -iō.[2][1][3] Ennius has the syncopated imperfect ⟨stabilībat⟩.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of making firm.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make firm or steady, as in Ennius and Caesar, and in Lucretius to hold still.[2][6] From Plautus it meant figuratively to establish firmly, a sense Lewis and Short call especially frequent.[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to make firm, fix, establish.[7] It survives in French établir, Spanish establecer and Portuguese estabelecer, and Old French establir gave English establish in the late 14th century.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of making firm.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of establishing.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of making firm.[6][5]
  • late 14th century – English establish is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To make firm, steady; to hold still.[2]
  2. To establish firmly.[2]

Word family

  • cōnstabiliō
  • īnstabiliō
  • restibiliō
  • stabilīmen
  • stabilīmentum
  • stabilītor

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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson