verto Latin · revision 3711

15 Oct 2026, 20:02 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *wert-}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈwɛr.toː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɛr.to]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''vertō''' (present infinitive vertere, perfect active vertī, supine versum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*wertō]], [[inh|ine-pro|*wert-|t=to turn]].^(Wiktionary) Until about the middle of the 2nd century BC the regular form was [[m|la|vortō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ 
+ Cognate with [[sa|वर्तते|tr=vártate|t=turns]], [[got|𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌽|tr=wairþan|t=to become]] and [[ru|вертеть|tr=vertetʹ|t=to rotate]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Georges 1913)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is found from Plautus onwards, who says of his comedy that “Maccus turned it into barbarian”, that is, translated it into Latin.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant to turn or spin, to make something depend on a pivot, and in the passive to move about, as Virgil's Turnus among the foremost.^(OLD 2012) It meant to turn over the ground in ploughing, as in Cato and Lucretius, to overturn, as Virgil's falling Troy, and to turn upside down or reverse.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ It meant to turn back in flight, ''terga vertere'', to turn in another direction, to turn to someone for help, to direct weapons or thoughts, and to transfer to another party or owner.^(OLD 2012) It meant to change or transform, to exchange, as ''solum vertere'', “to go into exile”, and to translate from one language to another.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Its derivatives gave English ''verse'' and ''version''.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of translating a comedy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of turning the soil.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of things turned upside down.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of the overthrow of Troy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 1580s – English ''version'' comes from its derivative ''versio''.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To [[m|en|turn]], spin, revolve.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To turn on a pivot, ''(passive)'' to depend on.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(passive)'' To move about, be engaged in.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To turn over (soil), plough.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To overturn, overthrow.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To invert, reverse.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To turn back, ''terga vertere'': to flee.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To direct (weapons, thoughts) at.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To transfer, divert.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To change, alter, transform.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To exchange, ''solum vertere'': to go into exile.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # To [[m|en|translate]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[advertō]]
+ * [[āvertō]]
+ * [[circumvertō]]
+ * [[convertō]]
+ * [[dēvertō]]
+ * [[dīvertō]]
+ * [[ēvertō]]
+ * [[intervertō]]
+ * [[invertō]]
+ * [[obvertō]]
+ * [[pervertō]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[en|verse]]
+ * [[en|version]]
+ 
+ ==Usage notes==
+ Döderlein distinguishes ''vertere'', turning something to give it a new position, from ''torquere'', twisting it round a fixed point.^(Döderlein 1874)
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}