usurpo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [uːˈsuːr.poː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [uˈs̬ur.po]^[1]

Forms

ūsūrpō (present infinitive ūsūrpāre, perfect active ūsūrpāvī, supine ūsūrpātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from ⟨*ūsūripō⟩, from ūsus “use” and rapiō “to seize”, so “to seize for one's use”.^[2][1][3][4] De Vaan traces ⟨ūtor⟩, the base of ⟨ūsus⟩, to Proto-Italic ⟨*oit-e/o-⟩ “to use”, perhaps Proto-Indo-European *h₃eyt- (“to take along”), and ⟨rapiō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *h₁rp-i-.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Ennius, of using a word, and Plautus, of practising and of perceiving.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC and Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant to put into practice, perform regularly, and to make habitual use of, employ, as in Plautus; to use a word or name, as in Ennius and Cicero; with oculīs or auribus to perceive; and in Cicero to take possession of property on one's own initiative without strict legal title, and to assert a right by exercising it.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to usurp, make use of, assert a right, take possession of, seize wrongfully.^[7] English usurp (early 14th century) is from it through Old French.^[8]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of using a word.^[2][6]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of practice and perception.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of taking possession.^[2][6]
• early 14th century – English usurp is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To take possession of, usurp.^[2][7]
2. To assert (a right) by exercising it.^[2]
3. To practise; to make use of, employ.^[2][3]
4. To use (a word), call by a name.^[2][4]
5. To perceive (with the senses).^[2]

Word family

• usurpabilis
• ūsūrpātiō
• usurpatiuus
• usurpator
• usurpatorius
• ūsūrpātrīx

Related words

• ūsūrpātīvē
• ūsus
• rapiō
• English usurp

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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com