complico Latin · revision 36443

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈkɔm.plɪ.koː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈkɔm.pli.ko]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''complicō''' (present infinitive complicāre, perfect active complicāvī, supine complicātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|con-|plicō|t2=to fold]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan lists it with the other verbs in ⟨-plicāre⟩ under [[m|la|plectō#1|alt=plectō|t=to plait]]: they come from [[itc-pro|*-plek-ā-]], probably denominal verbs from compound adjectives, and the simple [[m|la|plicō]] was a back-formation from them.^(de Vaan 2008) The root is [[ine-pro|*pleḱ-t-e/o-|t=to plait, twine]], as in [[grc|πλέκω|tr=plékō|t=to braid, twine]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who in the ''Mercator'' uses it of folding up a ship's rigging.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero uses it of folding a letter, and figuratively of a notion folded up in the mind, which one might unfold.^(Conte 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It was used of bending a limb at the joint (Celsus) and of curling oneself up: Seneca writes that Diogenes doubled himself up in his barrel.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Varro uses it of tying figs together on a string, Frontinus of bringing the wings of a battle line together around the enemy, and Gellius of winding a strap round a stick.^(OLD 2012) The perfect was ⟨complicāvī⟩, but ⟨complicuī⟩ and the participle ⟨complicitum⟩ appear after Augustus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Augustine uses it in arithmetic for multiplying.^(Conte 2010) In medieval Latin it is also used of folding the hands, as a vassal did when commending himself to a lord.^(MLW) English [[m|en|complicate]] comes from its past participle.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of folding up rigging.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of tying figs together.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of folding a letter.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca writes that Diogenes curled himself up in his barrel.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it of multiplying.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1620s – English [[m|en|complicate]] is recorded, from its past participle.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|fold]] together, fold up, roll up.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To wind round.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To bend a limb at the joint;^(OLD 2012) ''(reflexive)'' to curl oneself up.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To tie in bundles; to bring the ends of something together.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To fold up a thought or notion in the mind.^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' To [[m|en|multiply]].^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' To fold the hands in an act of [[m|en|commendation]].^(MLW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[complicabilis]]

+ * [[complicātiō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plicō]]

+ * [[explicō]]

+ * [[implicō]]

+ * [[en|complicate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}