studeo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈstʊ.de.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈstuː.de.o]^[1]

Forms

studeō (present infinitive studēre, perfect active studuī); second conjugation, no passive, no supine stem^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *stud-ē-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *stud-eh₁- (“to be thrusting”), a stative verb of the root *(s)tewd- (“to push, strike”), which is also found in tundō “to beat”.^[2][1][3] De Vaan explains the meaning as a development from “to be thrusting” to “to strive after”.^[2] Older dictionaries compared Ancient Greek σπεύδω (speúdō, “to hasten”).^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,^[2] who has a young man “devote himself to the brothels” and tells a slave not to be “keen on sleep”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

With the dative it meant to devote oneself to something or strive after it, as when Cicero says someone gave himself above all to Greek literature.^[3] It also meant to take sides with or favour a person or party.^[3] Used on its own it came to mean to apply oneself to books, to study, a sense first found in the elder Seneca.^[3]

The sense “to study” is especially Late and Medieval Latin, and Medieval Latin also used it for caring and thinking.^[1] In Neo-Latin it was used for studying at a university.^[6] Through Medieval Latin studiare it gave French étudier, Italian studiare and Spanish estudiar,^[1][7] and English study came from Old French in the early 12th century.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for devoting oneself to something.^[3][8]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius pairs it with agere: id agit, id studet.^[3][8]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for devotion to Greek literature.^[3][8]
• early 12th century – English study is first recorded.^[7]
• late 14th century – English student comes from Old French estudiant.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To devote oneself (to), be eager (for), strive after.^[3][1]
2. To be keen on, concentrate on (something).^[3]
3. To support, favour (a person, a party).^[3][1]
4. To study, apply oneself to learning.^[3][1]
5. (Medieval Latin) To care; to think.^[1]

Word family

• studium
• studiōsus

Related words

• studiolum
• studiōsē
• tundō
• English study
• English student
• English studio

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
7. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de