debilito Latin · revision 31463

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=ine-pro *bel-o-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dēbilitō''' (present infinitive dēbilitāre, perfect active dēbilitāvī, supine dēbilitātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|dēbilis|t=crippled, weak]] with the suffix [[m|la|-itō]], like [[m|la|nōbilitō|t=to make famous]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains ⟨dēbilis⟩ as a compound of the type ⟨inermis⟩ “unarmed”, “without strength”, from [[itc-pro|*dē-be/oli-]] and a noun [[ine-pro|*bel-o-|t=strength, power]], cognate with [[sa|बल|tr=bála-|t=strength, power]] and [[grc|βέλτερος|tr=bélteros|t=better]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Early examples are in Varro, of a fear meant to unnerve our men, and in Cicero, of a line of verse spoiled wherever it stumbles.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to lame, cripple or maim, as the gladiators who were crippled in Gaius' ''Institutes'', and to deprive of strength, weaken or disable, as in Livy; of things it is to weaken or impair, as Cicero's faulty line of verse.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) It is to weaken the mind or will and take away the power to act, as Varro's fear, and to deprive of political power, as Cicero's men who thought they would crush the consul once he was unarmed and weakened.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “weaken”.^(Stelten 1995) English ''debilitate'' (1530s) is from its participle ''dēbilitātus''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of a fear that unnerves.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a weakened verse and a weakened consul.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of physical weakness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 140–180 AD – Gaius of crippled gladiators.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1530s – English [[m|en|debilitate]] is from its participle.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lame, [[m|en|cripple]], maim.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To weaken, disable, [[m|en|debilitate]]; to impair.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To unnerve, weaken in mind; to deprive of power.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dēbilitātiō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dēbilis]]

+ * [[dēbilitās]]

+ * [[en|debilitate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}