perquiro Latin · revision 34157

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la quaerō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''perquīrō''' (present infinitive perquīrere, perfect active perquīsīvī, supine perquīsītum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|per-|quaerō|t1=thoroughly|t2=to seek]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|quaerō]], which goes back to [[itc-pro|*kwai-s-e/o-]]; he finds best the proposal that this is a present formed to a root meaning “to acquire”, [[ine-pro|*kueh2-i-|t=to acquire]], and calls the older comparisons uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan records it from Plautus on,^(de Vaan 2008) who has it with an indirect question: ''adeunt, perquirunt quid siet caussae'', “they go up and ask what the reason is”.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its senses are to search everywhere for something, to inquire widely or persistently, and to examine or study in detail.^(OLD 2012) Cicero writes of a letter ordering people to search out certain vessels,^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) and of an inquiry whether virtue is sought for its own sake;^(OLD 2012) Caesar uses it of finding out the ways into the land of the Suebi,^(Conte 2010) and Lucretius of searching in vain for signs of the gods' hidden mind.^(Georges 1913) The TLL finds it rather rare in Plautus, Cicero, his brother Quintus, Lucretius and Caesar, and very frequent only in Cassiodorus, who uses it more than a hundred times.^(TLL) In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to seek or examine carefully.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in Old Spanish.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of asking a reason.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^(Georges 1913)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of searching and of philosophical inquiry.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of finding out routes.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 485–c. 580 AD – Cassiodorus uses it more than a hundred times.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|search]] everywhere for.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # (with an indirect question) To [[m|en|inquire]] widely or persistently.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # To [[m|en|examine]] or study in detail.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perquīsītor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quaerō]]

+ * [[inquīrō]]

+ * [[requīrō]]

+ * [[exquīrō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}