comprehendo Latin · revision 6229

16 Oct 2026, 05:24 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la prehendō}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [kɔm.preˈ(ɦ)ɛn.doː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kom.preˈɛn.do]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''comprehendō''' (present infinitive comprehendere, perfect active comprehendī, supine comprehēnsum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[con-]] and [[prehendō]] “to catch, grasp”.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The contracted form [[comprendō]] is frequent.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's first citation is Plautus, whose character orders thieving cooks to be seized, bound and beaten.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant to seize in the hand, take hold of, of plants to take root, and to catch fire, as Caesar's huts.^(OLD 2012) It also meant to tie or join together, to arrest a person, as in Plautus, and to catch or come upon someone.^(OLD 2012) Then it meant to enclose, include, hold an amount, to cover a subject in speech or writing, and to express in words.^(OLD 2012) With ''animō'' or ''mente'', and then alone, it meant to grasp with the mind, understand, learn.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+ 
+ It survives in French ''comprendre'', Italian ''comprendere'' and Spanish ''comprender''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|comprehend]] was borrowed in the mid-14th century in the sense “understand”, and [[en|comprehensive]] comes through Late Latin ''comprehēnsīvus'' in the 1610s.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of arresting thieves.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of huts catching fire.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of grasping with the mind.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * mid-14th century – English ''comprehend'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To seize, take hold of.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(of plants)'' To take root.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To catch (fire).^(OLD 2012)
+ # To join together, unite.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To [[m|en|arrest]], detain.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To catch, come upon.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To enclose, [[m|en|include]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # To hold (an amount).^(OLD 2012)
+ # To deal with (in speech or writing); to express.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To grasp mentally, [[m|en|understand]].^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[comprehēnsibilis]]
+ * [[comprehēnsiō]]
+ * [[comprehēnsīvus]]
+ * [[incomprehensus]]
+ * [[comprehēnsō]]
+ * [[comprehēnsus]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[apprehendō]]
+ * [[dēprehendō]]
+ * [[prehendō]]
+ * [[reprehendō]]
+ * [[en|comprehend]]
+ * [[en|comprehensive]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}