triumpho

Forms

triumphō (present infinitive triumphāre, perfect active triumphāvī, supine triumphātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from triumphus (“triumph”) with the verbal suffix -ō.^[2][3][1] The OLD derives ⟨triumphus⟩, older ⟨triumpus⟩, from the ritual cry ⟨triumphe⟩, Wiktionary traces it, by way of an Etruscan form, to Ancient Greek θρίαμβος (thríambos, “hymn to Dionysus”).^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first examples in the OLD are inscribed elogia of Roman generals: “having subdued the Volsci, he triumphed for the third time”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is above all of a victorious Roman general celebrating a triumph, with dē or ex of the defeated people, as in the elogia, “he triumphed over the Sabines”, Cicero has Albucius, who held a triumph in Sardinia on his own authority and was condemned at Rome.^[2] Of soldiers it is to take part in the procession, and in the passive to be led in triumph, as Virgil's “peoples twice triumphed over”.^[2]

By transfer it is to exult, as Cicero's Verres who rejoiced and triumphed while all groaned, and to win a notable success, as Terence's “I triumph if I can get away safe”.^[2] Church Latin glosses it “triumph”.^[4]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence of “I triumph”.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of exulting over others.^[2][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil of conquered peoples.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English triumph, from the noun triumphus by way of Old French.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To celebrate a triumph (over); to hold a victory procession.^[2][1][3]
2. To take part in a triumph, (passive) to be led in triumph.^[2]
3. To exult (over).^[2][1]
4. To achieve a notable success.^[2][1]

Word family

• detriumpho
• triumphātor
• triumphātōrius
• triumphālis

Related words

• triumphus
• ovō
• English triumph

Usage notes

Lewis and Short compare ovō, to celebrate the lesser triumph, the ovātiō.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com