Etymologically
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stinguo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈstɪŋ.ɡʷoː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈstiŋ.ɡʷo][1]

Forms

stinguō (present infinitive stinguere, perfect active stīnxī, supine stīnctum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

In de Vaan's account it is inherited from Proto-Italic *stengʷe/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *stengʷe/o- (“to push, thrust”).[2] He explains the meanings of the compounds from a root meaning “press, push”: exstinguō and restinguō “push back, suppress”, distinguō “push apart”.[2] The present stem in /-u-/ cannot be explained as a denominative, which makes the comparison with Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌹𐌲𐌵𐌰𐌽 (stigqan, “to thrust”) attractive, since a root ending in /gʷ/ could have produced it.[2] Umbrian 𐌀𐌍𐌔𐌕𐌉𐌍𐌕𐌖 (anstintu, “to connect, attach”) may belong here or to the root of īnstīgō, which de Vaan keeps apart from this verb.[2][1]

The OLD reports an older view that identifies it with the ⟨-stinguō⟩ of that compound and refers it to a root meaning “to prick”, as in Ancient Greek στίζω (stízō, “to prick”);[3] Pokorny likewise puts it under Proto-Indo-European *(s)teig- (“to stick; sharp”), explaining “put out” from poking apart the burning logs.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Lucretius on,[2] meaning to extinguish: he speaks of fires that are put out (ignēs stinguī) and of colour that slowly fades away.[5]

Semantic evolution

The verb is poetic and very rare; the usual word is extinguō.[5] Besides fires and lights it was said, by extension, of destroying or annihilating something.[3]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of fires going out and of colour fading.[5][6]
  • 81–43 BC – A verse fragment of Cicero, quoted by Priscian, has stinguuntur radiī, “the rays are put out”.[5][7][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To extinguish, put out (a fire or light).[3][5]
  2. (transferred) To annihilate, destroy: nūlla potest vīs stinguere, “no force can destroy them” (Lucretius 1.486, of the first elements of things).[3]

Word family

Usage notes

Georges lists a separate unattested verb *stinguō “to prick” as the base of distinguō, īnstinguō and interstinguō;[7] de Vaan sees no reason to posit such a verb and explains its supposed forms from those of this one.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke
  5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn