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surrepo

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word surrepo

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*h₁reh₁p-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin repo
Latin erepo
Latin surrepo
Latin obrepo

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [sʊrˈreː.poː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [surˈrɛː.po][1]

Forms

surrēpō (present infinitive surrēpere, perfect active surrēpsī, supine surrēptum); third conjugation[1] It is also spelled subrēpō.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin sub- (“under”) + rēpō (“to creep”), with assimilation of the prefix.[2][3][1] De Vaan traces rēpō to Proto-Italic *rēp-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁p- (“to creep”), cognate with Lithuanian rėplióti (“to creep”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Cicero's speech for Sestius, of someone who had crept under the seats.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It means to creep under or along, to move stealthily up to something, as in Cicero;[2][3] Lewis & Short note it is not frequent until after the Augustan period.[3] Seneca uses it of water seeping in, not as bilge through a crack but as a great flood.[2] Most often it is used of things that come on gradually or unnoticed: Tibullus says that sluggish old age will creep up.[2] Catullus has a syncopated perfect surrēpstī.[3] The OLD files it under the spelling subrēpō.[2]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of creeping under the seats.[2][3]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus in the perfect surrēpstī.[3]
  • c. 55–19/18 BC – Tibullus of old age creeping up.[2]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca of water seeping in.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To creep under or up to; to steal upon, come on unawares;[2][3][1] (of liquid) to seep in.[2][3][1]
  2. (of conditions, feelings) To come on gradually or imperceptibly; to insinuate oneself.[2][1]

Word family

  • surrēptīcius

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
Cite this entry

“Surrepo.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/surrepo. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·