ostento Latin · revision 30732

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *ten-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɔsˈtɛn.toː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [osˈtɛn.to]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ostentō''' (present infinitive ostentāre, perfect active ostentāvī, supine ostentātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ Plautus has the passive infinitive ''ostentārier''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the frequentative of [[m|la|ostendō|t=to show]], formed on its participle ⟨ostentus⟩ with [[m|la|-tō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan counts ⟨ostendō⟩ among the old forms of [[m|la|ob]] with ⟨obs-⟩ (as in [[m|la|oscen]]), and lists it among the compounds of [[tendō|t=to stretch]], from [[itc-pro|*tend-]] and [[ine-pro|*ten-d(h)-|t=to stretch]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus, ''Aulularia'', of a deceiver: ''alterā manū fert lapidem, pānem ostentat alterā'', “he carries a stone in one hand and shows bread in the other”.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Ostentō'' is to hold something up to view, exhibit, display publicly (Velleius of a head displayed on the rostra), and in Plautus to hold up as desirable.^(OLD 2012) Very often it implies display for effect: to parade or flourish (Terence's soldier who does not show off his scars), to make a show of military strength (Caesar), to boast of something, and reflexively to show off (''Rhetorica ad Herennium'').^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It also means to show qualities in one's bearing (Cicero: Catiline's famous endurance of hunger and cold), to give an appearance of something (Tacitus), to point out or call attention to, to make known, and to hold out a prospect of reward or punishment: Pacuvius has ''mortem ostentant'', “they threaten death”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “show, exhibit, show off, present, hold as an example, point out, reveal, disclose”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of bread shown in one hand.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius of a threat of death.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence of a soldier displaying his scars.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar of a display of cavalry.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To show, [[m|en|exhibit]], display.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To show off, [[m|en|parade]], boast of;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) ''(reflexive)'' to show off.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To show (a quality); to give the appearance of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To point out, call attention to; to reveal, disclose.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To hold out (a prospect), promise; to [[m|en|threaten]] with.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To hold up as an example.^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ostentāneus]]

+ * [[ostentātiō]]

+ * [[ostentātor]]

+ * [[ostentātrix]]

+ * [[ostentāculum]]

+ * [[ostentātōrius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ostendō]]

+ * [[ostēnsiō]]

+ * [[ostentum]]

+ * [[tendō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}