quaero Latin · revision 2886

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=inherited|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *kʷeh₂-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkʷae̯.roː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkʷɛː.ro]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''quaerō''' (present infinitive quaerere, perfect active quaesīvī or quaesiī, supine quaesītum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The old spelling ''quairo'' appears in the epitaphs of the Scipios.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is disputed.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Nussbaum, followed by de Vaan, takes it as [[inh|itc-pro|*kʷai-s-e/o-]], built on a present *kʷeh₂-i- of the root [[ine-pro|*kʷeh₂-|t=to acquire]], and compares [[grc|πέπαμαι|tr=pépamai|t=to possess]]; de Vaan calls this the best proposal so far.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The LIV follows Szemerényi in deriving it from *ko-ais- with the root [[m|ine-pro|*h₂eis-|t=to seek]], but de Vaan objects that the prefix [[m|la|com-]] usually stays recognizable.^(de Vaan 2008) The related [[quaeso|alt=quaesō]] “I beg” is a newer desiderative.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Livius Andronicus onwards.^(de Vaan 2008) In Plautus someone tells a man who has searched everywhere that if he had been looking for a needle he would have found it by now.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to [[m|en|seek]] or search for, to miss something one cannot find, and to ask for a person.^(OLD 2012) It meant to try to obtain, as Plautus' borrowed money and Ennius' kings seeking statues and tombs, and of things to require or need.^(OLD 2012) It also meant to aim at, and to earn or acquire, as in Plautus.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ From seeking came asking: to inquire about something, to examine or consider a question, as Lucilius does, and to hold a judicial inquiry.^(OLD 2012) From it came ''quaestio'' “inquiry” and ''quaestor''.^(de Vaan 2008) It survives as Italian ''chiedere'' and Romanian ''cere'' “to ask”, French ''quérir'', and Spanish and Portuguese ''querer'' “to want”.^(Wiktionary) English ''quest'' and ''question'' came through Old French, and ''query'' from the Latin imperative ''quaere''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for searching and for earning.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it for seeking.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it for inquiring into nature.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for questions put to someone.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 13th century – English ''question'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – English ''quest'' is first recorded, for a judicial inquiry.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|seek]], look for.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To miss, ''(passive)'' to be missing.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To ask for (a person).^(OLD 2012)

+ # To try to obtain, strive for.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To require, need.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To aim at.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To earn, acquire.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To ask, [[m|en|inquire]] about.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To examine, consider.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(law)'' To investigate.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[acquīrō]]

+ * [[anquīrō]]

+ * [[conquīrō]]

+ * [[disquīrō]]

+ * [[exquīrō]]

+ * [[inquīrō]]

+ * [[inquīsītus]]

+ * [[perquīrō]]

+ * [[quaeritō]]

+ * [[quaesītiō]]

+ * [[quaesītor]]

+ * [[quaesītum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quaesō]]

+ * [[quaestiō]]

+ * [[quaestor]]

+ * [[en|quest]]

+ * [[en|question]]

+ * [[en|query]]

+ * [[en|acquire]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein treats ''quaerere'' as the general word for seeking, while ''scrutari'' and ''rimari'' add the idea of effort; as a word for asking, it is a plain question, unlike the urgent ''percontari''.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}