suggero

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsʊɡ.ɡɛ.roː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsud.d͡ʒe.ro]^[1]

Forms

suggerō (present infinitive suggerere, perfect active suggessī, supine suggestum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from sub- “under, up” and gerō “to carry”.^[2][1][3] It is also spelled ⟨subgerō⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of supplying.^[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense was to put under, as Virgil's flame put under a cauldron, then to pile up, build high.^[3][5][2] It meant to append in a list, as in Livy, and to supply whenever needed, of materials and in Cicero of words and ideas, and lūdum suggerere was apparently to fall in with someone's wishes.^[2] From Quintilian it meant to suggest as possible, and in Ulpian to hint at an answer or put a point forward.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to add, bring to mind, suggest, advise.^[6] English suggest came in the 1520s from its participle suggestus.^[7]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of supplying.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of supplying words.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of piling up and of putting under.^[2][3][4]
• 1520s – English suggest is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To put under.^[3]
2. To pile up; to build high.^[2]
3. To append, add.^[2]
4. To supply, furnish; to supply words or ideas.^[2]
5. To suggest; to hint at.^[2]
6. To put forward for consideration.^[2]

Word family

• suggestiō
• suggestum
• suggestus

Related words

• gerō
• English suggest
• English suggestion

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 d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com