vivesco

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [wiːˈweːs.koː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [viˈvɛs.ko]^[1]

Forms

vīvēscō (present infinitive vīvēscere, perfect active vīxī); third conjugation, no supine stem^[1] Also vīviscō.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin vīvō (“to live”) + -ēscō, an inchoative verb.^[2][3][1] De Vaan traces ⟨vīvō⟩ to Proto-Italic *gʷīwe/o- (“to live”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷíh₃-we/o- (“to live”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Among Lewis & Short's sources are Lucretius and Pliny the Elder.^[3] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to come to life, become alive, spring forth, as in Pliny, and figuratively to grow lively, gain strength, as of a sore in Lucretius.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^[3][5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it.^[3][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To come to life, become alive; to grow strong.^[2][3]

Related words

• revīvēscō
• revīvō
• vīvō
• revīvīscō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de