tumeo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtʊ.me.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtuː.me.o]^[1]

Forms

tumeō (present infinitive tumēre); second conjugation, no passive, no perfect or supine stems^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *tum-ē-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *tum-eh₁- (“to be swelling”), a stative verb from *tum- (“to swell”).^[2][1] tumulus “mound” and tumor “swelling” come from it, and probably tumultus “uproar” too, though its formation is unclear.^[2][3]

Cognate with Welsh tyfu (“to grow”), Sanskrit तुम्र (túmra, “strong, thick”), Lithuanian tumėti (“to become thick”) and Old Norse þumalfingr (“thumb”).^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,^[2][4] who asks “what is this swelling on your neck?”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was to swell or be swollen, of the body, as Ovid's body swollen with poison, and of the sea or a river running high, as in Virgil.^[3][5] Figuratively it meant to be inflamed with anger or unrest, as in Cicero, and to be puffed up with pride, as Horace's “you swell with love of praise”.^[3]

Of speakers and writers it meant to be bombastic.^[3] English tumor (early 15th century) and tumult (late 14th century) come from its derivatives.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a swelling on the neck.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a mind inflamed by anger.^[3][5][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of swelling waves.^[3][4]
• early 15th century – English tumor comes from its derivative tumor.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To swell, be swollen.^[3][1]
2. (of water) To swell, run high.^[3]
3. (figurative) To be inflamed with passion or unrest.^[3][1]
4. To be puffed up with pride.^[3][1]
5. (of style) To be bombastic, turgid.^[3][1]

Word family

• extumeō
• tōmentum
• tumefaciō
• tumentia
• tumidus
• tumēscō
• tumor
• tumultus
• tumulus

Related words

• tumidē
• tumiditās
• tumidō
• tumidōsus
• tumidulus
• tumōrōsus
• tumulāmen
• tumulō
• tumulōsus
• English tumor
• English tumult

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes turgere, swelling with real fullness, from tumere, swelling that hides emptiness.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper