LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbsecond conjugation

careō

careō (present infinitive carēre, perfect active caruī, supine caritum)
Classical[ˈka.re.oː]Ecclesiastical[ˈkaː.re.o]
№ 572 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to lack, be without. (usually with ablative), to be deprived of
    Sī versūs hōrum duōrum poētārum neglegētis, magnā parte litterārum carēbitis.If you neglect the verses of these two poets, you will miss a great part of literature.
    Imperātor mīlitibus proeliō caruit.The general was without soldiers for the battle.
  2. to be separated from

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

nōn habeō quod opus est; pauper multīs rēbus caret.
careō -ēre caruī — in Mille Verba, Mercātus

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Carere · Egere · Indigere

1. Carere (from κείρειν) relates to a desirable possession, in opp. to habere, Cic. Tusc. i. 36; whereas egere and indigere, to a necessary and indispensable possession, in opp. to abundare, Lucil. Fr. Sat. viii. Senec. Vit. B. 7. Voluptate virtus sæpe caret, nunquam indiget. Epist. 9. Sapiens eget nulla re; egere enim necessitatis est. Cic. Ep. ad. Qu. Fr. i. 3, 2. Nunc commisi, ut me vivo careres, vivo me aliis indigeres. 2. Egere (from χάω, χαίνω ἀχήν) denotes, objectively, the state of need, in opp. to uti, Cato ap. Gell. xiii. 23; indigere, subjectively, the galling sense of need, and eager longing to satisfy it. (iii. 113.)

Diligere · Amare · Deamare · Adamare · Caritas · Amor · Pietas

1. Diligere (from ἀλέγειν) is love arising from esteem, and, as such, a result of reflection on the worth of the beloved object, like φιλεῖν; whereas amare is love arising from inclination, which has its ground in feeling, and is involuntary, or quite irresistible, like ἐρᾶν, ἔρασθαι; diligere denotes a purer love, which, free from sensuality and selfishness, is also more calm; amare, a warmer love, which, whether sensual or platonic, is allied to passion. Cic. Att. xiv. 17. Tantum accessit ut mihi nunc denique amare videar, ante dilexisse. Fam. xiii. 47. Brut. i. 1. Plin. Ep. iii. 9. 2. Amare means to love in general; deamare, as an intensive, to love desperately, like amore deperire; and adamare, as an inchoative, to fall in love. 3. Caritas, in an objective sense, means to be dear to some one; amor, to hold some one dear: hence the phrases, Caritas apud aliquem; amor erga aliquem. 4. Caritas, in a subjective sense, denotes any tender affection, especially that of parents towards their children, without any mixture of sensuality, and refers merely to persons, like ἀγάπη or στοργή; whereas amor denotes ardent passionate love to persons or things, like ἔρως; lastly, pietas (from ψήχω, ψίης, the instinctive love to persons and things, which we are bound to love by the holy ties of nature, the gods, those related to us by blood, one’s native country, and benefactors. Caritas rejoices in the beloved object and its possession, and shows itself in friendship and voluntary sacrifices; amor wishes evermore to get the beloved object in its power, and loves with a restless unsatisfied feeling; pietas follows a natural impulse and religious feeling. (iv. 97.)

Conjugation conjugation 2

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.careōcarēbamcarēbōcaruīcarueramcaruerō
2nd sg.carēscarēbāscarēbiscaruistīcaruerāscarueris
3rd sg.caretcarēbatcarēbitcaruitcarueratcaruerit
1st pl.carēmuscarēbāmuscarēbimuscaruimuscaruerāmuscaruerimus
2nd pl.carētiscarēbātiscarēbitiscaruistiscaruerātiscarueritis
3rd pl.carentcarēbantcarēbuntcaruērunt
caruēre
caruerantcaruerint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.careamcarēremcaruerimcaruissem
2nd sg.careāscarērēscaruerīscaruissēs
3rd sg.careatcarēretcarueritcaruisset
1st pl.careāmuscarērēmuscaruerīmuscaruissēmus
2nd pl.careātiscarērētiscaruerītiscaruissētis
3rd pl.careantcarērentcaruerintcaruissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.careorcarēbarcarēbor
2nd sg.carēris
carēre
carēbāris
carēbāre
carēberis
carēbere
3rd sg.carēturcarēbāturcarēbitur
1st pl.carēmurcarēbāmurcarēbimur
2nd pl.carēminīcarēbāminīcarēbiminī
3rd pl.carenturcarēbanturcarēbuntur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.carearcarērer
2nd sg.careāris
careāre
carērēris
carērēre
3rd sg.careāturcarērētur
1st pl.careāmurcarērēmur
2nd pl.careāminīcarērēminī
3rd pl.careanturcarērentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.carēcarēre
pres. 2nd pl.carētecarēminī
fut. 2nd sg.carētōcarētor
fut. 3rd sg.carētōcarētor
fut. 2nd pl.carētōte—
fut. 3rd pl.carentōcarentor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivecarērecarērī
perfect infinitivecaruissecaritum esse
future infinitivecaritūrum essecaritum īrī
present participlecarēns
carente, carentem, carentēs, carentī, carentia, carentibus, carentis, carentīs, carentium
—
perfect participle—caritus
carita, caritā, caritae, caritam, caritārum, caritās, carite, caritī, caritīs, caritō, caritōrum, caritōs
future participlecaritūrus
caritūra, caritūrā, caritūrae, caritūram, caritūrārum, caritūrās, caritūre, caritūrī, caritūrīs, caritūrō, caritūrōrum, caritūrōs, caritūrum
carendus
carenda, carendā, carendae, carendam, carendārum, carendās, carende, carendīs, carendōrum, carendōs
gerundcarendī, carendō, carendumsupinecaritum, caritū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

patria carere
to be in exile.
omni vitio carere
to be free from faults.
forensi luce carere
to shun publicity.
culpa carere, vacare
to be free from blame.
sensu audiendi carere
not to possess the sense of hearing.
sepulturae honore carere
to be deprived of the rites of burial.
iustis exsequiarum carere
to be deprived of the rites of burial.
publico carere, se abstinere
to never appear in public.
3 more phrases
publico carere, forum ac lucem fugere
to shun publicity.
caritas annonae (opp. vilitas), also simply annona
dearth of corn; high prices.
vox, nomen carendi or simply carere hoc significat (Tusc. 1. 36. 88)
the word carere means...

căreo, ui, ĭtum (carĭtūrus, Ov. H. 4, 1; id. M. 2, 222; 14, 132; Sen. Ben. 1, 11, 1; Curt. 10, 2, 27; Just. 4, 5, 1; Plin. 20, 21, 84, § 224.—
I. Part. pr. gen. plur. carentum, Lucr. 4, 35; Verg. G. 4, 255; 4, 472), 2 (pres. subj. carint = careant, Plaut. Most. 4, 1, 1.— Dep. form careor, acc. to Caper ap. Prisc. p. 797 P.), v. n. cf. κείρω, καρῆναι; Germ. scheeren; Engl. shear, to be cut off from, be without, to want, be in want of, not to have, whether in a good or bad sense; but κατʼ ἐξοχήν, to be devoid of, to want, to be without some good; and with reference to the subjective state of mind, to miss it (accordingly, of a good that is merely desirable, while egere is used of the want of that which is necessary); constr. regularly with abl.; in ante-class. poets also with gen. or acc. (the latter also in late Lat.).
I. To be without, devoid of, not to have, to be free from (corresp. with abesse, Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 55; and opp. frui, id. Tusc. 3, 18, 40).
A. Of living subjects: carere culpā, Plaut. Most. 4, 1, 1; Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 41: calumniā, Quint. 9, 4, 57: malis, Lucr. 2, 4: dolore, Cic. Lael. 6, 22; id. Fin. 1, 11, 38: febri, id. Fam. 16, 15, 1, and by poet. license with an inverted construction: caruitne febris te heri? Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 17: morbis, Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 38: malo, id. Tusc. 3, 18, 40: suspicione, id. Rosc. Am. 20, 55; Quint. 2, 2, 14: vitiis, Hor. C. 3, 27, 39; Quint. 8, 3, 1; 8, 3, 41: stultitiā, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 42: ambitione, id. ib. 2, 2, 206: appellatione, Quint. 8, 2, 5: omnibus his quasi morbis voluit carere sapientem, Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 38: calumniā, Quint. 9, 4, 57: conspiratione et periculo, Suet. Aug. 19: stultitiae atque ignorantiae crimine, Auct. B. G. 8 praef.: communi sensu, Hor. S. 1, 3, 66: morte, to be immortal, id. C. 2, 8, 12; Ov. M. 15, 158: suis figurā, id. ib. 14, 286; cf. of virtue, personified: culpāque omni carens praeter se ipsam nihil censet ad se pertinere, Cic. Tusc. 5, 1, 4.—
2. To be without a thing from free-will, i.e. to deprive one's self of a thing not to make use of it, to deny one's self a thing, to abstain from (syn.: abstineo, absum; hence opp. utor; v. the foll.): temeto, Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 59; Cic. Rep. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 5, 18; cf. vino, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 57: nec Veneris fructu, renounces not. Lucr. 4, 1073: lubidinibus, Sall. C. 13, 5: amicorum facultatibus, Nep. Epam. 3, 4: mulieribus facile, id. Phoc. 1, 3; cf. absol.: satiatis vero et expletis jucundius est carere quam frui, Cic. Sen. 14, 47.—With acc.: Tandem non ego illam caream, ei sit opus, vel totum triduom? Ter. Eun. 2, 1, 18.— Hence,
3. Of localities, to hold one's self aloof from, not to go to; or merely, to be absent from (cf. abstineo, II.): foro, senatu, publico, Cic. Mil. 7, 18; cf.: provinciā domoque, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 19, § 41: aspectu civium, id. Cat. 1, 7, 17: declamationibus nostris, id. Fam. 7, 33, 1: forensi luce, id. Brut. 8, 32: patria, Nep. Pelop. 1, 4; Tac. A. 4, 58: Roma, Cic. Att. 9, 19, 1.—
B. Of inanimate subjects: terra caret vero sensu, Lucr. 2, 652; cf. id. 2, 990, and 1, 573: haec duo tempora carent crimine, Cic. Lig. 2, 4: carere omni malo mortem, id. Tusc. 1, 12, 26: an ulla putatis Dona carere dolis Danaum? Verg. A. 2, 44: nec lacrimis caruere genae, id. ib. 5, 173: pars quae peste caret, id. ib. 9, 540: oratio, quae astu caret, Quint. 9, 1, 20: oeconomia nomine Latino caret, id. 3, 3, 9: quae caret ora cruore nostro? Hor. C. 2, 1, 36: caret Ripa ventis, id. ib. 3, 29, 23: aditu carentia saxa, Ov. M. 3, 226: nivibus caritura Rhodope, id. ib. 2, 222: naturae vero rerum vis atque vis atque majestas in omnibus momentis fide caret, Plin. 7, 1, 1, § 7.—
II. To be deprived of, to be without, to feel the want of, to want something that is desirable: voluptate virtus saepe caret, nunquam indiget, Sen. Vit. Beat. 7, 2: patriā, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 85: quam huic erat miserum carere consuetudine amicorum, societate victus, sermone omnino familiari! Cic. Tusc. 5, 22, 63: hac luce, id. ib. 1, 6, 12: voluptatibus, id. Sen. 3, 7: commodis omnibus, id. Rosc. Am. 15, 44: provinciis atque oris Italiae maritimis ac portibus nostris, id. Imp. Pomp. 18, 55: tali munere, Verg. A. 5, 651: citharā, Hor. C. 1, 31, 20: vate sacro, id. ib. 4, 9, 28: patrio sepulcro, id. S. 2, 3, 196: libertate, id. Ep. 1, 10, 40: honore, Ov. M. 15, 614: laude, Quint. 2, 20, 10 al.: caret omni Majorum censu, has lost, dissipated, Juv. 1, 59.—
b. With gen.: tui carendum quod erat, Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 20; so Laev. ap. Gell. 19, 7, 7.—
c. With acc.: quia Id quod amo careo, Plaut. Curc. 1, 2, 49; cf. id. Poen. 4, 1, 4: eos parentes careo, Turp. ap. Non. p. 466, 8: DVLCEM. CARVI. LVCEM. CVM. TE. AMISI., Inscr. Grut. 572, 7; so ib. 770, 9; hence careri, pass., Marc. Emp. 36 med.; cf.: virque mihi dempto fine carendus abest, Ov. H. 1, 50.—
B. With the access. idea of the subjective state of mind or feeling, to feel the want of a thing, to miss: triste enim est nomen ipsum carendi, quia subicitur haec vis; habuit, non habet; desiderat, requirit, indiget, Cic. Tusc. 1, 36, 87; cf. the context: carere igitur hoc significat, egere eo quod habere velis, id. ib. § 88: non caret is qui non desiderat, id. Sen. 14, 47.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *kazēō, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- (“to cut”). De Vaan rejects the etymology from *ḱes-, finding it too semantically difficult to reconcile the stative ending -ēre, 'to lack, be lacking', and a stative Indo-European 'to be cutting something'. He mentions a 2000 paper by George Dunkel linking the derived castīgō to Sanskrit शास्ति (śāsti, “to teach, correct”), but rejects this too as other words in the word family seem to stem from 'be lacking, pure'. Noteworthy is the same development in the Portuguese use of precisar (in passive meaning equivalent to carecer, from this careō), derived from preciso, from Latin praecīsus (“cut, shortened”).

Descendants
  • Englishcaret
  • Englishcaritive
  • Frenchcarence
  • Italiancarenza
  • Portuguesecarecer
  • Spanishcarecer
  • Galiciancarecer
  • Idokarear

In English words that came into English from careō

  • cariescariēs
  • caretcaret
  • cariouscariēs
  • caritivecareō

Quick answers

What does careō mean in Latin?
careō, a verb, means “to lack, be without. (usually with ablative), to be deprived of; to be separated from”.
What are the principal parts of careō?
careō, carēre, caruī, caritum (second conjugation).
How do you pronounce careō?
In classical Latin, [ˈka.re.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkaː.re.o].
Which English words come from careō?
English words that go back to Latin careō include caritive, caries, caret and carious.