contingo Latin · revision 6657
16 Oct 2026, 12:32 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 tangō}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [kɔnˈtɪŋ.ɡoː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [konˈtiŋ.ɡo]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''contingō''' (present infinitive contingere, perfect active contigī, supine contāctum); third conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[con-]] and [[tangō]] “to touch”, with the vowel weakened to ⟨i⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The sense “to colour, moisten” was apparently influenced by [[tingō]] “to dip, dye”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of touching something.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant to touch, come into contact with, as Virgil's rope touched with the hand, and to border on, as in Cato, also to be connected to a person by kinship or friendship, as in Horace.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant to reach, arrive at, as in Cicero, to attain, and to touch on a subject in passing.^(OLD 2012) It meant to touch so as to affect, to colour or sprinkle, as in Lucretius and Virgil, to infect with disease or moral taint, and to move or concern.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ Intransitively it meant to fall to one's lot, happen, be granted, as in Ennius, and impersonally ''contingit'' “it happens”, as in Plautus.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein says ''contingere'' is used mostly of fortunate events, while [[accidō]] covers unexpected ones.^(Döderlein 1874)
+
+ [[en|contingent]] comes from its participle ''contingēns'' in the late 14th century, [[en|contact]] from ''contāctus'' in the 1620s, and [[en|contagion]] from ''contāgiō''.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of what falls to one's lot.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of touching and impersonally.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of bordering on.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 14th century – English ''contingent'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To [[m|en|touch]], come into contact with.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To border on; to be related to.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To reach, arrive at; to [[m|en|attain]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # To touch on (a subject).^(OLD 2012)
+ # To colour, sprinkle; to infect.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To affect, move; to concern.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(intransitive)'' To fall to one's lot, [[m|en|happen]].^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[contāctus]]
+ * [[contāgēs]]
+ * [[contāgiō]]
+ * [[contāgium]]
+ * [[contamen]]
+ * [[contiguus]]
+ * [[contingentia]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[attingō]]
+ * [[contāminō]]
+ * [[obtingō]]
+ * [[pertingō]]
+ * [[tangō]]
+ * [[en|contact]]
+ * [[en|contingent]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}