Etymologically
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sufficio

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [sʊfˈfɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [sufˈfiː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

sufficiō (present infinitive sufficere, perfect active suffēcī, supine suffectum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from sub- “under” and faciō “to make, do”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of appointing a magistrate to a vacancy and of steeping wool in dye.[2][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

Transitively it meant to put under, as Curtius' foundation laid for a work, to steep or dye, as Cicero's wool, and in Virgil eyes suffused with blood and fire.[4][2] It meant to supply, provide, especially as a replacement, and in Livy and Cicero to appoint a magistrate in place of another, whence cōnsul suffectus.[2][6] Intransitively, from Caesar, it meant to be strong enough, equal to something, and in Ulpian sibi sufficere to be able to support oneself.[2] From Cicero it meant to be enough in quantity, and in Quintilian and Tacitus to be adequate, suffice, impersonally sufficit “it is enough”.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to be enough, suffice, imbue, furnish, substitute.[7] Through Old French sofire it gave English suffice in the early 14th century, and its present participle gave English sufficient.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of being equal to a task.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of appointing a replacement magistrate.[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of supplying.[2][5]
  • early 14th century – English suffice and sufficient are recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To put under; to steep, dye, suffuse.[2][4]
  2. To supply, provide, especially as a replacement.[2]
  3. To appoint in place of another; to substitute.[2]
  4. To be equal to, have enough strength or means for.[2]
  5. To be enough, suffice, sufficit, it is enough.[2]

Word family

  • insufficiens
  • suffectiō
  • suffectura
  • sufficientia
  • sufficiēns
  • sufficienter

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 c 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. ^ 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