mordeo Latin · revision 2912

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *(s)merd-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɔr.de.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɔr.de.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mordeō''' (present infinitive mordēre, perfect active momordī, supine morsum); second conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ The older perfect ''memordī'' is used by Ennius, Plautus and Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*mord-eje-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₂mord-(e)ie-|t=to crush, bite]], an iterative present with o-grade, biting being a repeated action; the simple present of the root was lost in Latin.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary gives the root as [[ine-pro|*(s)merd-|t=to bite, sting]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[sa|मर्दति|tr=márdati|t=crushes]],^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) [[grc|ἀμέρδω|tr=amérdō|t=to deprive]]^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) and [[ang|smeortan|t=to hurt]], the source of [[en|smart]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards.^(de Vaan 2008) Ennius writes ''si me canis memorderit'', “if a dog bites me”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to [[m|en|bite]], as dogs do, and to nibble or gnaw.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Things were said to bite when they cut into something, as fetters into the flesh, or ate it away, as Horace's quiet Liris eating at its fields.^(OLD 2012) A clasp “bit” the cloth it held, and cold or a strong spice could sting.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Figuratively it meant to hurt or worry someone, and to carp at or criticize, as in Terence's “everyone envied me and bit at me in secret”.^(OLD 2012) It survives as Italian ''mordere'', French ''mordre'', and Spanish and Portuguese ''morder''.^(Wiktionary) English ''morsel'' and ''remorse'' come from its participle.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses the perfect ''memorderit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it for hurting and for carping.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of a river eating away fields and of the morning cold.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 13th century – English ''morsel'' comes from Old French, from ''morsum''.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – English ''remorse'' comes from Medieval Latin ''remorsum'', “a biting back”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|bite]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To nibble, [[m|en|gnaw]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(of things)'' To cut into; to erode, eat away.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To grip, hold fast.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To sting, nip.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To hurt, distress, worry.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To criticize, carp at.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[admordeō]]

+ * [[commordeō]]

+ * [[dēmordeō]]

+ * [[immordeō]]

+ * [[mordāx]]

+ * [[mordex]]

+ * [[mordico]]

+ * [[mordicus]]

+ * [[mordōsus]]

+ * [[morsicō]]

+ * [[morsilis]]

+ * [[morsum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|remorse]]

+ * [[en|morsel]]

+ * [[en|mordant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}