Etymologically
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transigo

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 14:34. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈtrãː.sɪ.ɡoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtran.si.ɡo][1]

Forms

trānsigō (present infinitive trānsigere, perfect active trānsēgī, supine trānsāctum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from trāns- “through” and agō “to drive, do”.[2][1][3] Varro perhaps has ⟨trās-⟩.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of carrying an activity through and of settling business.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Caecilius it meant to pierce through, and in Seneca and Silius to thrust a weapon through.[2][5] From Plautus it meant to carry through to the end, to act a play through, and to settle a business or dispute, come to terms, and in Tacitus to have done with.[2] In Quintilian it meant in law to settle by compromise.[2] In Tacitus it meant to spend time, and in Nepos to complete a period.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to get along, transact, accomplish, spend time, pierce.[6] Its noun trānsāctiō gave English transaction in the mid-15th century, first a settlement by mutual concession, and English transact came in the 1580s.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of settling business.[2][4]
  • 230/220–168 BC – Caecilius uses it of piercing through.[2][4]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of spending time.[2][4]
  • mid-15th century – English transaction is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To pierce through; to thrust through.[2]
  2. To carry through; to finish.[2]
  3. To settle; to come to terms; to have done with.[2]
  4. (law) To compromise.[2]
  5. To spend (time).[2]

Word family

  • trānsāctiō
  • transactor

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 o 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 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