detergeo Latin · revision 33872

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus|origins=itc-pro *terg-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [deːˈtɛr.ɡe.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [deˈtɛr.d͡ʒe.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dētergeō''' (present infinitive dētergēre, perfect active dētersī, supine dētersum); second conjugation, third person-only in the passive^(Wiktionary)

+ A third-conjugation present ''dētergō'' also occurs.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|dē-|tergeō|t1=off|t2=to wipe]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*terg-]] for [[m|la|tergeō]] and finds no certain cognates outside Italic; a link with a Sanskrit verb meaning to crush is possible but doubtful.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it first in Livius Andronicus, in his Latin ''Odyssey'': ''dacrimas dē ōre noegeō dētersit'', “wiped the tears from his face with a cloth”.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is wiping away, as tears or sweat,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and, by extension, wiping something clean, as Plautus has of wiping one's head with a cloak and Livy of cleaning the sewers.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Horace uses it of a wind that clears the clouds from the sky.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Caesar and Livy have it of breaking off projecting oars.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Figuratively it is to remove or cleanse,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Cicero uses it in a letter of sweeping up a sum of money.^(Lewis & Short 1879) A third-conjugation present ''dētergō'' also occurs, from Plautus onwards.^(TLL) Stelten gives "wipe away, cancel" for Church Latin.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus, of wiping away tears.^(TLL)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, of wiping one's head.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar, of breaking off oars.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace, of a wind clearing the sky.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1620s – [[m|en|deterge]] is borrowed into English, through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|wipe]] off, wipe away; figuratively, to drive away, remove.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To strip off, break off (projecting parts).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To wipe or rub clean, [[m|en|cleanse]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[detersio]]

+ * [[dētersus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[abstergeō]]

+ * [[circumtergeō]]

+ * [[extergeō]]

+ * [[pertergeō]]

+ * [[retergeō]]

+ * [[tergeō]]

+ * [[en|deterge]]

+ * [[en|detergent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}