Etymologically
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transporto

Etymology and origin of the Latin word transporto

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Cicero, Caesar
Ultimate origin
Latin (portō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin porto
Latin transporto

Pronunciation

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

Forms

trānsportō (present infinitive trānsportāre, perfect active trānsportāvī, supine trānsportātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin trans- + porto (“to carry”).[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Caesar uses it of shipping armies and of crossing the Rhine, and Cicero of carrying an army to Macedonia.[2][3] Köbler dates Caesar c. 50 BC and Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to carry or convey across, usually by water, and with two accusatives to carry troops across a river.[2][5] It was also used of sending people into exile, as Suetonius says Augustus did with Agrippa, and of moving whole peoples.[2][3]

English transport is recorded in the late 14th century, through Old French transporter.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of shipping an army.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of an army carried to Macedonia.[3][4]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of sending into exile.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English transport is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To carry across, transport, ship across.[2][7]
  2. To deport, send into exile.[2][3]

Word family

  • transportātiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Transporto.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/transporto. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·