Etymologically
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tempto

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛmp.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛmp.to][1]

Forms

temptō (present infinitive temptāre, perfect active temptāvī, supine temptātum); first conjugation[1] Also spelt tentō.[2][3]

Etymology

It is probably an iterative from a participle *tempto- “touched”, from a verb “to touch, feel”, perhaps the root Proto-Indo-European *temp- (“to stretch”).[2][4] Lewis and Short derived it from tendō “to stretch”, and the Oxford Latin Dictionary compares Lithuanian tim̃pinti (“to feel one's way”).[1][3] templum may be from the same root.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it: “feel wherever you like”.[3][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was to handle or feel, as Cicero's testing the water with one's foot, to test or probe, and to sound out a person's feelings.[3][6] It was to try or attempt, to attack or assail, and to urge, rouse or tempt someone.[1][3]

English tempt comes from it, first used of the devil and the flesh enticing to sin.[4] Its compound attemptāre “to try, attack” gave English attempt.[4] It survives as Italian tentare, French tenter and Spanish tentar.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][5]
  • 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses attemptāre.[2][5]
  • c. 1200 – English tempt is recorded.[4]
  • late 14th century – English attempt is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To handle, feel, touch.[3][1]
  2. To test, probe; to sound out (a person).[3][1]
  3. To try, attempt.[1][6]
  4. To attack, assail.[1]
  5. To urge, rouse; to tempt.[1][4]

Word family

  • attemptō
  • intemptātus
  • pertemptō
  • praetemptō
  • retemptō
  • temptābundus
  • temptāmen
  • temptāmentum
  • temptātiō
  • temptātor

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.