LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbthird (-iō variant) conjugation

cupiō

cupiō (present infinitive cupere, perfect active cupīvī or cupiī, supine cupītum)
Classical[ˈkʊ.pi.oː]Ecclesiastical[ˈkuː.pi.o]
cupiēns pres. act. ptcp.№ 441 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to desire, long for
    Nōvī ingenium mulierum: / nōlunt ubi vēlīs, ubi nolīs cupiunt ultrō.I know the ways of women: they are unwilling when you want [it]; [and] when you are unwilling, they desire [it] wantonly.161 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Eunuchus 812–813
  2. to please, favor, be well disposed towards (someone, something)
    Quod cupiō mēcum est. Inopem mē cōpia fēcit.What I desire is with me: Abundance made me destitute.
    Cupio omnia quaevis.Your wishes are mine.

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

valdē volō.
cupiō -ere cupīvī — in Mille Verba, Animus et Adfectūs
craves
cupit — in Seneca, ch. X

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Velle · Optare · Expetere · Cupere · Avere · Gestire

1. Velle, optare, and expetere, are acts of calm reason and self-determination; whereas cupere, avere, and gestire, acts of excited feeling and of passion. Senec. Ep. 116. Cum tibi cupere interdixero, velle permittam. 2. Velle (ἑλεῖν) means to wish, and co-operate towards the realization of one’s wish, like θέλειν and βούλεσθαι; optare (from ποθεῖν) to wish, and leave the realization of one’s wish to others, or to fate, like ποθεῖν; expetere, to wish, and apply to others for the realization of one’s wish, like ὀρέγεσθαι. Sen. Ep. 95. Sæpe aliud volumus, aliud optamus. Cic. Off. i. 20. Nihil nisi quod honestum sit homines aut admirari aut optare aut expetere oportet. 3. Cupere (κάπτειν) denotes a vehement, passionate desire; gestire (γηθεῖν), a lively desire, showing itself by gestures; avere (from χαίνειν, χάος), an impatient, hasty desire. Cupidus means, being eagerly desirous of something, like ἐπιθυμῶν; gestiens, rejoicing in anticipation of something, like χρῄζων; avidus, being greedy after something. Cic. Sen. 8. Græcas literas sic avide arripui, quasi diuturnam sitim explere cupiens; comp. with Att. ii. 18. Intellexi quam suspenso animo et sollicito scire averes, quid esset novi. And, iv. 11. Perge reliqua; gestio scire ista omnia. (v. 57.)

Conjugation

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.cupiōcupiēbamcupiamcupīvī
cupiī
cupīveram
cupīram, cupieram
cupīverō
cupīrō, cupierō
2nd sg.cupiscupiēbāscupiēscupīvistī
cupīstī, cupiistī
cupīverās
cupīrās, cupierās
cupīveris
cupīris, cupieris
3rd sg.cupitcupiēbatcupietcupīvit
cupīt, cupiit
cupīverat
cupīrat, cupierat
cupīverit
cupīrit, cupierit
1st pl.cupimuscupiēbāmuscupiēmuscupīvimus
cupīmus, cupiimus
cupīverāmus
cupīrāmus, cupierāmus
cupīverimus
cupīrimus, cupierimus
2nd pl.cupitiscupiēbātiscupiētiscupīvistis
cupīstis, cupiistis
cupīverātis
cupīrātis, cupierātis
cupīveritis
cupīritis, cupieritis
3rd pl.cupiuntcupiēbantcupientcupīvērunt
cupīrunt, cupīvēre, cupiērunt, cupiēre
cupīverant
cupīrant, cupierant
cupīverint
cupīrint, cupierint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.cupiamcuperemcupīverim
cupīrim, cupierim
cupīvissem
cupīssem, cupiissem
2nd sg.cupiāscuperēscupīverīs
cupīrīs, cupierīs
cupīvissēs
cupīssēs, cupiissēs
3rd sg.cupiatcuperetcupīverit
cupīrit, cupierit
cupīvisset
cupīsset, cupiisset
1st pl.cupiāmuscuperēmuscupīverīmus
cupīrīmus, cupierīmus
cupīvissēmus
cupīssēmus, cupiissēmus
2nd pl.cupiātiscuperētiscupīverītis
cupīrītis, cupierītis
cupīvissētis
cupīssētis, cupiissētis
3rd pl.cupiantcuperentcupīverint
cupīrint, cupierint
cupīvissent
cupīssent, cupiissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.cupiorcupiēbarcupiar
2nd sg.cuperis
cupere
cupiēbāris
cupiēbāre
cupiēris
cupiēre
3rd sg.cupiturcupiēbāturcupiētur
1st pl.cupimurcupiēbāmurcupiēmur
2nd pl.cupiminīcupiēbāminīcupiēminī
3rd pl.cupiunturcupiēbanturcupientur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.cupiarcuperer
2nd sg.cupiāris
cupiāre
cuperēris
cuperēre
3rd sg.cupiāturcuperētur
1st pl.cupiāmurcuperēmur
2nd pl.cupiāminīcuperēminī
3rd pl.cupianturcuperentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.cupecupere
pres. 2nd pl.cupitecupiminī
fut. 2nd sg.cupitōcupitor
fut. 3rd sg.cupitōcupitor
fut. 2nd pl.cupitōte—
fut. 3rd pl.cupiuntōcupiuntor
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivecuperecupī
perfect infinitivecupīvisse
cupīsse, cupiisse
cupītum esse
future infinitivecupītūrum essecupītum īrī
present participlecupiēns
cupiente, cupientem, cupientēs, cupientī, cupientia, cupientibus, cupientis, cupientīs, cupientium
—
perfect participle—cupītus
cupīta, cupītā, cupītae, cupītam, cupītārum, cupītās, cupītī, cupītōrum, cupītōs
future participlecupītūrus
cupītūra, cupītūrā, cupītūrae, cupītūram, cupītūrārum, cupītūrās, cupītūre, cupītūrī, cupītūrīs, cupītūrō, cupītūrōrum, cupītūrōs, cupītūrum
cupiendus
cupiundus
gerundcupiendī, cupiendō, cupiendumsupinecupītum, cupītū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

alicuius causa velle or cupere
to be favourably disposed towards.

cŭpĭo, īvi or ĭi, ītum, 3 (
I. imperf. subj. cŭpīret, Lucr. 1, 72; quoted ap. Non. p. 506 fin., and ap. Prisc. p. 879 P.), v. a. Sanscr kup, to be in active motion, to be angry; cf. recupero, to long for a thing, to desire, wish (designating a natural, involuntary inclination, or an unbridled or passionate desire, while volo indicates an energetic will, and opto a deliberate wish or choice, Cic. Mil. 12, 32; Sen. Ep. 116, 2; cf. Klotz in Jahn's Neues Jahrb. 1834, II. p. 119 sq.; freq. in every per. and species of composition); constr. with acc., inf., acc. and inf., acc. and part., ut, ne, the gen., or absol.
I. In gen.
A. Lit., of persons.
(a). With acc.: quid istuc tam cupide cupis? Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 49: nec bonum illud esse, quod cupias ardenter, Cic. Tusc. 4, 17, 39: nuptias, Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 12: cupere eadem, eadem odisse, Sall. J. 31, 14: domum alius, alius agros, id. C. 11. 4: novas res, id. J. 70, 1: quanto plura parasti, Tanto plura cupis, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 148: (magistratus, imperia, etc.) minime mihi hac tempestate cupienda videntur, Sall. J. 3, 1; cf. Ov. Tr. 4, 4, 66 et saep.—In part. perf.: corde cupitus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 41: cupitus atque exspectatus, Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 104: Mars videt hanc visamque cupit potiturque cupitā, Ov. F. 3, 21: cupitus aetatis flos, Lucr. 3, 770; 5, 847: cujus rei semper cupitae, Liv. 26, 7, 3; Tac. A. 4, 3 et saep.: tandem huic cupitum contigit, Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 116; so in neutr., Liv. 3, 37, 7; Tac. A. 6, 32; 14, 2 al.—
(b). With inf. (so most freq.): emori cupio, Ter. Heant. 5, 2, 18: vitam mutare, Lucr. 5, 170; 1, 71: te celare de phaleris, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 12, § 29: audire cupio, id. Caecin. 12, 33: diem consumere, id. Att. 4, 2, 4: operam navare, Caes. B. G. 2, 25 fin.: proelium facere, Sall. J. 57, 4 et saep.: cum nostri quid sine imperatore efficere possent perspici cuperent, Caes. B. G. 3, 21.—
(g). With acc. and inf.: te tuā frui virtute cupimus, Cic. Brut. 97, 331; id. Fam. 1, 2, 2: cupio me esse clementem; cupio in tantis rei publicae periculis me non dissolutum videri, id. Cat. 1, 2, 4; cf. Haase ad Reisig, Lect. p. 790: (Pausanias) se tecum affinitate conjungi cupit, Nep. Paus. 2, 3.—*
(d). With acc. and part.: Cu. Quis nominat me? Ph. Qui te conventum cupit. Cu. Hau me magis cupis, quam te ego cupio, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 25.—(ε) With ut: cupio ut impetret, Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 34: quin etiam necesse erit cupere et optare, ut peccet, etc., Cic. Lael. 16, 59: responsum est mihi cupere quidem universos ut a me rationes coloniae legerentur, Plin. Ep. 10, 47 (56), 1. —(ζ) With ne: cupio, ne ... habeant, Plin. Ep. 5, 17, 6; cf. Ov. H. 6, 6.—(η) With subj. alone: cupio te quoque sub idem tempus Campania tua remittat, Plin. Ep. 5, 14 (15), 9.—(θ) Absol.: ubi nolis, cupiunt ultro, Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 43: qui cupit aut metuit, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 51; so with metuo, id. ib. 1, 6, 12; 1, 16, 65; cf. Cic. de Or. 2, 44, 185; 1, 1, 2: cohortatus suos, omnibus cupientibus ad hostium castra contendit, Caes. B. G. 3, 24; cf. id. ib. 3, 19 et saep.—(κ) With gen.: pol quamquam domi cupio, opperiar, Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 23 Brix ad loc.; cf. P. a. α infra. —With gen. pers.: quae (puellae) cupiunt tui, Plaut. Mil. 4, 1, 17; cf.: jam dudum vestri cupiunt Lucrina tacita, Symm. Ep. 1, 8 init.—
B. Transf., of things: asperiora vina rigari utique cupiunt, Plin. 17, 26, 41, § 250.—
II. Pregn., to be well disposed, be favorable or inclined to one, to favor, to wish well, to be interested for, etc.: favere et cupere Helvetiis propter eam affinitatem, Caes. B. G. 1, 18; cf.: quid ego Fundanio non cupio? Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 3, § 10: ipsi Glycerio, Ter. And. 5, 4, 2: cui maxime, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 4: cujus causā omnia cum cupio, tum mehercule etiam debeo, Cic. Fam. 13, 75, 1; cf.: causam mihi tradidit, quem suā causā cupere ac debere intellegebat, id. Rosc. Am. 51, 149: vehementer ejus causā, id. Fam. 13, 64, 1: qui istius causā cupiunt omnia, qui ab eo benignissime tractati sunt, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 73, § 180; cf. id. Div. in Caecil. 6, 21 Halm ad loc.—Hence the phrase cupio omnia quaevis, your wishes are mine; cf. the Engl., I am entirely at your service, Hor. S. 1, 9, 5.—Hence, cŭpĭens, entis, P. a., desiring, desirous, longing, eager for something (mostly ante- class. and post-Aug.; most freq. in Plaut. and Tac.).
(a). With gen.: corporis, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 7: nuptiarum, id. ib. 4, 4, 29: tui (tua amica), id. ib. 4, 2, 58: liberorum, Tac. A. 16, 6: novarum rerum, id. ib. 15, 46: bonarum artium, id. ib. 6, 46: voluptatum, id. ib. 14, 14: erogandae pecuniae, id. ib. 1, 75.—Comp., Aur. Vict. Caes. 24.—Sup.: cupientissimus legis, Sall. Fragm. ap. Diom. p. 291 P.—
(b). Absol.: ut quibusque bellum invitis aut cupientibus erat, Tac. A. 1, 59.—Sup.: Marius cupientissimā plebe consul factus, Sall. J. 84, 1.— Adv.: cŭpĭenter, desirously, earnestly, eagerly, = cupide (only ante-class.): cupienter cupere, Enn. ap. Non. p. 91, 8 (Trag. Rel. v. 337 Vahl.): discerpere membra, Att. ib. p. 91, 6 (Trag. Rel. v. 543 Rib.): petere, Plaut. Ps. 2, 3, 17.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *kupjō. According to the LIV, from Inherited from Proto-Indo-European *kup-yé-ti, from *kwep- (“to smoke, boil, move violently”). If this theory is accepted, the term has an exact parallel in Sanskrit कुप्यति (kupyati, “to become agitated, bubble up”). De Vaan, however, explains the word as a derivative of an athematic i-present *kup-i- of the same root. Schrijver, who also adopts the i-present explanation, suggests that the full-grade of the suffix of this i-present (e.g. a form of the shape *kup-ey-) could explain the forms with the long vowel ī, such as cupīvī. Schrijver does, however, also mention a possible alternative explanation—that the perfect form was created analogically after fourth conjugation terms such as audīvī. Weiss alternatively suggests that perfect forms in -īvī spread across verbs with similar semantics, all pertaining to the notion of "seeking." For instance, compare arcessō (“to summon, invite”), arcessīvī; petō (“to ask, beg”), petīvī; and quaerō (“to search”), quaesīvī. Cognate with Lithuanian kūpėti (“to boil over”) and Old Church Slavonic кꙑпѣти (kypěti, “to boil”).

Descendants
  • Sardiniancubere
  • Italiancupere
  • Englishcupiosexual
  • Sardiniancubire
  • Walloonkeûre
  • Franco-Provençalkvi
  • Franco-Provençalkevi
  • Normancouvirfrom Old French covir
  • Old Occitancobir
  • Franc-Comtoisquevatre

In English words that came into English from cupiō

  • covetcupiditas
  • CupidCupīdō
  • covetouscupiditas
  • cupiditycupiditās
  • concupiscentconcupiscens
  • cupiosexualcupiō

Quick answers

What does cupiō mean in Latin?
cupiō, a verb, means “to desire, long for; to please, favor, be well disposed towards (someone, something)”.
What are the principal parts of cupiō?
cupiō, cupere, cupīvī (third (-iō variant) conjugation).
How do you pronounce cupiō?
In classical Latin, [ˈkʊ.pi.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkuː.pi.o].
Which English words come from cupiō?
English words that go back to Latin cupiō include cupiosexual, covet, Cupid, covetous, cupidity and concupiscent.