adolesco Latin · revision 6673

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Varro|origins=la alō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [a.dɔˈɫeːs.koː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [a.doˈlɛs.ko]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''adolēscō''' (present infinitive adolēscere, perfect active adolēvī or adoluī, supine adultum); third conjugation, no passive^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an inchoative from [[ad-]] and the root of [[alō]] “to nourish”, as in [[prōlēs]] “offspring”.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) Lewis and Short connect it with [[adoleō]].^(Lewis & Short 1879) The perfect participle [[adultus]] is used in an active sense.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first citation is Varro, of a living thing growing up.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to become mature, grow up, of living things, as Caesar's children grown old enough for military service, and of institutions and states, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Of age it meant to reach manhood, as in Lucretius, of a season to reach its peak, and of desires and habits to become established.^(OLD 2012) It also meant to grow bigger, to become strong, as in Tacitus, and to grow onto, adhere.^(OLD 2012) Its present participle [[adulēscēns]] became the word for a young man.^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to grow up, come to maturity.^(Stelten 1995) [[en|adult]] comes from its participle ''adultus'' in the 1530s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of growing up.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of reaching manhood.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of children grown up.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1530s – English ''adult'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|grow]] up, become mature.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To reach manhood, (of a season) to reach its peak.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of habits, desires)'' To become established.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To grow bigger.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To become strong.^(OLD 2012)

+ # To grow onto, adhere.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[superadultus]]

+ * [[adulēscēns]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[alō]]

+ * [[adultus]]

+ * [[en|adult]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A rare homograph ''adolēscō'', from [[adoleō]], meant to burn, blaze, as in Virgil's altars smoking with incense.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}