delecto Latin · revision 3811
15 Oct 2026, 20:26 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
Initial text
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=Ennius|origins=itc-pro *lak-}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [deːˈɫɛk.toː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈlɛk.to]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''dēlectō''' (present infinitive dēlectāre, perfect active dēlectāvī, supine dēlectātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[af|la|dē-|lactō|t2=to entice]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Lewis & Short and Georges treat it as an intensive of [[delicio|alt=dēliciō]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) ''Lactō'' belongs with [[lacio|alt=laciō]] “to entice”, from [[itc-pro|*lak-|t=to draw, pull]].^(de Vaan 2008)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Ennius has “Apollo himself lures me, draws me on”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Its first sense was to lure or entice, as Ennius' Apollo and Cato's sheep kept on the land to be sown.^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short note it is only ante-classical in this sense.^(Lewis & Short 1879) From this it came to mean to delight, charm, amuse, as the flute-player in Plautus, and of things to please, as Cicero's man whom civil war delights.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In the passive it meant to take pleasure, as Petronius' woman who laughed with delight.^(OLD 2012) Romance kept it, as Italian [[m|it|dilettare]], and English ''delight'' came from it through Old French around 1200.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it in the sense “to lure”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of keeping sheep on a field.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a flute-player who entertains.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of things that please.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1200 – English ''delight'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To lure, [[m|en|entice]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ # To [[m|en|delight]], charm, amuse.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(of things)'' To please.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(passive)'' To take pleasure.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[delicio]]
+ * [[en|delight]]
+ * [[en|delectable]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}