vinco

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪŋ.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviŋ.ko]^[1]

Forms

vincō (present infinitive vincere, perfect active vīcī, supine victum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *wink- (“to tie, bind”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ui-n-k- (“to bend, tie”).^[2] De Vaan thinks it probably shares its root with vinciō “to bind”, since “to bend” easily becomes “to overcome” for the one who bends the other.^[2] Wiktionary gives the root as Proto-Indo-European *weyk- (“to overcome”).^[1]

Cognate with Old Irish fichid (“fights”) and Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽 (weihan, “to fight”).^[2][1] Oscan uincter is probably borrowed from Latin.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Naevius onwards.^[2] Ennius has the oracle that “you can conquer the Romans”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to defeat in war, to overcome in a fight, as Plautus' “unless he beats me with his fists”, to beat in a game or race, and to get the better of someone in a dispute or a lawsuit.^[3] It meant to subdue the mind or will, to overcome things and conditions, as stones worn down by age in Lucretius, and to surpass, as well as to outbid.^[3]

Döderlein contrasts it, driving an opponent from his place, with superare, winning a place from him.^[4] Its derivatives include victor and victōria.^[2] Romance kept it, as French vaincre, and English vanquish came from the French in the mid-14th century.^[1][5]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[2][6]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of conquering the Romans.^[3][6]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a fistfight and of outbidding.^[3][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of losing a lawsuit.^[3][6]
• mid-14th century – English vanquish is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To conquer, defeat (in war), (intransitive) to win.^[3][1]
2. To overcome (in a fight).^[3]
3. To beat (in a contest).^[3]
4. To prevail over (in a dispute); to win a lawsuit against.^[3]
5. To subdue, overcome (the mind, the will).^[3][1]
6. To overcome (things, conditions).^[3]
7. To surpass, outdo.^[3]
8. To outbid.^[3]

Word family

• convincō
• dēvincō
• ēvincō
• pervincō
• prōvincō
• revincō
• victor

Related words

• vinciō
• vix
• victoria
• English vanquish
• English victory

Usage notes

Döderlein says vincere has more to do with living opponents, superare with lifeless obstacles.^[4]

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 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 n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de