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succendo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word succendo

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Lucretius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*kend-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [sʊkˈkɛn.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [sutˈt͡ʃɛn.do][1]

Forms

succendō (present infinitive succendere, perfect active succendī, supine succēnsum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from sub- and ⟨*candō⟩ “to set alight”, seen also in incendō and accendō, related to candeō “to glow”.[2][3][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨candeō⟩ as Proto-Italic *kand-ē- (“to shine”), cognate with Welsh cann (“brilliant”) and Sanskrit चन्द्र (candrá-, “brilliant”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Lucretius, of setting fire from below.[2] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to set fire to something from below, kindle, set alight, as in Lucretius, and to heat from below; to light up or redden with a fiery glow, as in Seneca; and in Virgil to inflame with passion.[2][6][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to set on fire, burn, kindle.[7]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of passion.[2][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of a fiery glow.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To set fire to (from below), kindle.[2][6]
  2. To light up, redden.[2]
  3. To inflame (with passion).[2]

Word family

  • succēnsiō

Usage notes

Lewis & Short give īnflammō as a synonym.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Succendo.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/succendo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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