praeopto Latin · revision 36104

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praeoptō''' (present infinitive praeoptāre, perfect active praeoptāvī, supine praeoptātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also spelled ⟨prēoptō⟩.^(Wiktionary) In Plautus, Terence and Catullus the first two syllables are sometimes run together into one.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|prae-|optō|t1=before|t2=to choose, wish]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|optō]] to [[itc-pro|*opeje-|t=to choose, grab]] and [[ine-pro|*h₁op-eie-]], following Vine, who explains it as a frequentative made on a participle of an older iterative; he compares [[xum|upetu|t=let him select]] and [[hit|epp-|t=to take, grab]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it in verse in Plautus, Terence and Catullus, and in prose from Caesar, Nepos and Livy on;^(TLL) in Plautus' ''Trinummus'' a young man is told he preferred to put his love before virtue.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means to choose one thing rather than another, to prefer.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) The thing rejected is put in the dative, with ''quam'' or with ''pro'':^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Catullus has Ariadne preferring the sweet love of Theseus to all her family, Nepos a man preferring a knight's daughter to marriages with noblewomen, and Livy peoples who preferred their own laws to Roman citizenship.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) With an infinitive it means to prefer to do something: Caesar's Helvetii prefer to throw away their shields, Tacitus writes of Roman legions that preferred to die, and Curtius of a man who preferred to be wronged undeservedly than with justice.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Terence uses it with an accusative and infinitive.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ The TLL notes that Christian writers such as Ambrose and Paulinus of Nola join it with synonyms such as ''praeferre'' and ''malle''.^(TLL) Paulus' epitome of Festus glosses an obscure ''praedotiont'' as ''praeoptant'', but de Vaan finds that word too uncertain to use.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of preferring love to virtue.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it with an accusative and infinitive.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of Ariadne's preference for Theseus.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it with an infinitive.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it often with ''quam''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To choose in preference, [[m|en|prefer]] (with the thing rejected in the dative, or with ''quam'' or ''pro'').^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # (with infinitive or accusative and infinitive) To prefer to do; to prefer that.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[optō]]

+ * [[praeferō]]

+ * [[mālō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}