vereor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwɛ.re.ɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɛː.re.or]^[1]

Forms

vereor (present infinitive verērī, perfect active veritus sum); second conjugation, deponent^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *wer-ē- (“to be wary”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *u(e)r-eh₁- (“to note, sense”).^[2][1] Cognate with Ancient Greek ὁράω (horáō, “to see”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐍂𐍃 (wars, “cautious”) and Old English wær (“careful”), the source of English wary and English aware.^[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius.^[2] Plautus swears by Juno, whom he should most revere and fear.^[3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to show respect or reverence, to stand in awe of, as Cicero's “to respect and love someone”, and to regard as a danger, to fear, as Caesar's enemy who said he did not fear them.^[3][5] It was to view a possible event with apprehension, and with an infinitive to scruple to do something; with nē it introduced a fear, often politely, vereor nē “I am afraid that”.^[3]

Döderlein says verērī is fear founded on respect for the venerable, unlike metuere and timēre.^[6] revereor gave English revere in the 1660s and reverendus gave English reverend in the early 15th century.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[2][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of revering and fearing Juno.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of respecting and loving someone.^[5][4]
• early 15th century – English reverend is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To revere, respect, stand in awe of.^[3]
2. To fear, be afraid of.^[3]
3. To dread, apprehend (an event).^[3]
4. To scruple, hesitate (to do).^[3]
5. vereor nē, I am afraid that.^[3]

Word family

• revereor
• subvereor
• verēcundus
• verenter

Related words

• verēcundē
• verēcundia
• verēcunditer
• verēcundor
• timeō
• metuō
• English revere
• English wary

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes verērī and reverērī (to feel reverence) from venerārī (to show it), and verērī (awe) from metuere and timēre (fear of harm).^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 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 Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com