trepido

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtrɛ.pɪ.doː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtrɛː.pi.do]^[1]

Forms

trepidō (present infinitive trepidāre, perfect active trepidāvī, supine trepidātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin trepidus (“alarmed, anxious”) + -ō.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Plautus, of panic.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to act in alarm, panic, be in confusion, as in Plautus; to be anxious, apprehensive, as in Lucilius; to tremble, quiver, as in Lucretius; and to hurry, scurry, bustle, as in Virgil.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to tremble, be agitated, swarm about.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][3]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of anxiety.^[2][3]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of trembling.^[2][3]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of bustling.^[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To panic, be in alarm.^[2][4]
2. To hurry, bustle.^[2]
3. To tremble, quiver.^[2][5]
4. To be anxious.^[2]

Word family

• attrepido
• intrepidans
• praetrepidō
• trepidātiō

Related words

• trepidus
• intrepidus
• English trepidation

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson