Etymologically
Log in

studeo

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 19:26. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

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

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