verbfirst conjugation
optō
optō (present infinitive optāre, perfect active optāvī, supine optātum)
Classical[ˈɔp.toː]Ecclesiastical[ˈɔp.to]
№ 417 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- to choose, select, prefer, opt
ne dubita! dabitur (Stygias iuravimus undas),
For, doubt it not, as I have sworn it by the Stygian Waves, whatever thou shalt wish, it shall be given— but thou shouldst wish more wisely. Although the translation that this passage is sourced from gives 'wish' in both instances, the meaning here is of selecting rather than desiring, and could be more literally translated 'choose'; the meanings are closely related both in English and Latin.8 CE, Ovidius, Metamorphoses 2.101–103 - to wish for, hope for, long for, desire
Aeolus haec contrā: “Tuus, Ō rēgīna, quid optēs
Aeolus [spoke] these [words] in reply: “Your task, O Queen [Juno], [is] to consider what you desire; for me it is right to carry out [divine] commands.”29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.76–77Sed timidī est optāre necem.
But it's the coward's part to wish for death.8 CE, Ovidius, Metamorphoses 4.115
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
valdē cupiō et ōrō; bona ōrat et optat.optō -āre — in Mille Verba, Aula Rēgia
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 conjugation 1
| form | present | imperfect | future | perfect | pluperfect | fut. perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | optō | optābam | optābō | optāvī | optāveram optāram | optāverō optārō |
| 2nd sg. | optās | optābās | optābis | optāvistī optāstī | optāverās optārās | optāveris optāris |
| 3rd sg. | optat | optābat | optābit | optāvit optāt | optāverat optārat | optāverit optārit |
| 1st pl. | optāmus | optābāmus | optābimus | optāvimus optāmus | optāverāmus optārāmus | optāverimus optārimus |
| 2nd pl. | optātis | optābātis | optābitis | optāvistis optāstis | optāverātis optārātis | optāveritis optāritis |
| 3rd pl. | optant | optābant | optābunt | optāvērunt optārunt, optāvēre | optāverant optārant | optāverint optārint |
active subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect | perfect | pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | optem | optārem | optāverim optārim | optāvissem optāssem |
| 2nd sg. | optēs | optārēs | optāverīs optārīs | optāvissēs optāssēs |
| 3rd sg. | optet | optāret | optāverit optārit | optāvisset optāsset |
| 1st pl. | optēmus | optārēmus | optāverīmus optārīmus | optāvissēmus optāssēmus |
| 2nd pl. | optētis | optārētis | optāverītis optārītis | optāvissētis optāssētis |
| 3rd pl. | optent | optārent | optāverint optārint | optāvissent optāssent |
passive indicative
| form | present | imperfect | future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | optor | optābar | optābor |
| 2nd sg. | optāris optāre | optābāris optābāre | optāberis optābere |
| 3rd sg. | optātur | optābātur | optābitur |
| 1st pl. | optāmur | optābāmur | optābimur |
| 2nd pl. | optāminī | optābāminī | optābiminī |
| 3rd pl. | optantur | optābantur | optābuntur |
passive subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | opter | optārer |
| 2nd sg. | optēris optēre | optārēris optārēre |
| 3rd sg. | optētur | optārētur |
| 1st pl. | optēmur | optārēmur |
| 2nd pl. | optēminī | optārēminī |
| 3rd pl. | optentur | optārentur |
imperative
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| pres. 2nd sg. | optā | optāre |
| pres. 2nd pl. | optāte | optāminī |
| fut. 2nd sg. | optātō | optātor |
| fut. 3rd sg. | optātō | optātor |
| fut. 2nd pl. | optātōte | — |
| fut. 3rd pl. | optantō | optantor |
infinitives & participles
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| present infinitive | optāre | optārī |
| perfect infinitive | optāvisse optāsse | optātum esse |
| future infinitive | optātūrum esse | optātum īrī |
| present participle | optāns optante, optantem, optantēs, optantī, optantia, optantibus, optantis, optantīs, optantium | — |
| perfect participle | — | optātus optāta, optātā, optātae, optātam, optātārum, optātās, optātī, optātōrum, optātōs |
| future participle | optātūrus optātūra, optātūrā, optātūrae, optātūram, optātūrārum, optātūrās, optātūre, optātūrī, optātūrīs, optātūrō, optātūrōrum, optātūrōs, optātūrum | optandus optanda, optandā, optandae, optandam, optandārum, optandās, optande, optandīs, optandōrum, optandōs |
gerundoptandī, optandō, optandumsupineoptātum, optātū
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- optata mihi contingunt
- my wishes are being fulfilled.
opto, āvi, ātum, 1 (optassis for optaveris, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 75), v. a. root op, whence Gr. ΟΠΤΩ, ὄψομαι; qs. to look out, pick out, = legere, eligere,
I. to choose, select (anteclass. and poet.;
syn. deligo): utrum vis, opta, dum licet, Plaut. Rud. 3, 6, 14; id. Aul. prol. 11: sapientius opta, Ov. M. 2, 102: non video hic, quid magnopere optem, Lucil. ap. Non. 358, 13: inhoneste parare divitias, Ter. And. 4, 5, 2: locum tecto, Verg. A. 1, 425: locum regno, id. ib. 3, 109: externos duces, id. ib. 8, 503: L. Furium optavit, Liv. 6, 25.—Hence, in relig. lang.: optatam hostiam, alii optimam, appellant eam, quam aedilis tribus constitutis hostiis optat, quam immolari velit, Fest. p. 186 Müll. —II. Transf., to wish, wish for, desire (the predominant signification of the word; cf.:
volo, cupio, desidero, aveo): tua vita optanda est, Ter Phorm. 1, 3, 12: nihil nisi quod honestum sit, Cic. Off. 1, 20, 66: aliquid votis, Verg. A. 10, 279: vestitus, quem cupimus optamusque, Cic. Phil. 14, 1, 2: fortunam, id. Pis. 14, 32.—With ut (class. and freq.): (Phaëthon) optavit, ut in currum patris tolleretur, Cic. Off. 3, 25, 94: numquam a dis immortalibus optabo. ut, etc., id. Cat. 2, 7, 15.—With subj.: optavi, peteres caelestia sidera tarde, Ov. Tr. 2, 57.—With inf.: hunc videre saepe optabamus diem, Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 29: cujus integrā re consilium exquirere optassem, Plin. Ep. 3, 4, 2: officia mandare, deponere optantibus, id. Pan. 87, 2: Darius equestri proelio decernere optabat, Curt. 3, 11, 1; 4, 12, 4: meliores liberos habere, Suet. Oth. 1 fin.; Tac. Or. 9.—With acc. and inf.: impleri sinus optabamus, Quint. 10, 7, 23: ex Indiā sospitem ipsum reverti, Curt. 10, 1, 7: quem te esse opto, Cic. Fam. 10, 20, 3: omnes mortales sese laudarier optant, Enn. ap. Aug. Trin. 13, 6 (Ann. v. 551 Vahl.). —Absol.: optare hoc quidem est, non docere, Cic. Tusc. 2, 13, 30; cf. id. Ac. 2, 38, 121; id Fat. 20, 47: optare alicui aliquid, to wish one any thing, in a good sense: equidem tibi bona optavi omnia, Plaut. Rud. 3, 2, 25: tibi optamus eam rem publicam, in quā, etc., Cic. Brut. 97, 331; but mostly in a bad sense (= imprecari): si totum exercitum mortem mihi optasse crederem, Liv 28, 27, 10: quid mali feci, ut mihi pejorem reditum quam exitum optares? Sen. Ben. 6, 37, 2: furorem et insaniam optare alicui, id. Pis. 20, 46; id. Tusc. 1, 44, 107: aliquid ab aliquo, to desire, require, demand any thing of any one: quodvis donum et praemium a me optato, id optatum feres, Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 27: hoc et pallidus optas, pray for, Juv. 10, 189.—Hence, op-tātus, a, um, P. a., wished, desired, longed for, agreeable, pleasing, pleasant, dear (class.): optati cives, populares, incolae, Plaut. Aul. 3, 1, 1: rumores, Cic. Fam. 16, 21, 1: gloria, Juv. 10, 187.—Comp.: nihil mihi fuit optatius, quam, ut, etc., Cic. Fam. 1, 5, 1.—Sup.: vale, mi optime et optatissime frater, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 8, 2.—B. Subst.: optātum, i, n., a wish, desire:
di tibi semper omnia optata offerant, Ter. Ad. 5, 9, 21; cf. afferant, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 105: eveniunt optata deae. Ov. M. 6, 370: impetrare optatum, Cic. Off. 3, 25, 94: praeter optatum meum, against my wish, id. Pis. 20, 46: meis optatis fortuna respondit, id. Fam. 2, 1, 1: mihi in optatis est, it is my wish, I wish, id. ib. 2, 13, 2.—Hence, adv.: optā-tō, according to one's wish (class.): optato venire, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 26: mihi veneris, Cic. Att. 13, 28, 3: optato ventis aestate coortis, Verg. A. 10, 405.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
optō āvī, ātus, āre
2 AP-, to choose, select, prefer: sapientius, O.: in navīs ternos iuvencos, three for each ship, V.: alios ad fastum parentes, H.: ut optet, utrum malit . . . an, etc.—To wish, wish for, desire: optare hoc quidem est, non docere: tua vita optanda est, T.: nihil nisi quod honestum sit: Quod votis optastis, adest, V.: alqd a me, demand, T.: hoc et pallidus optas, pray for, Iu.: Hanc (coniugem), O.: tibi optamus eam rem p., in quā, etc.: mortem mihi, L.: neque parens liberis, uti aeterni forent, optavit, S.: ut amitteretis exercitum: Optavi, peteres caelestia sidera tarde, O.: hunc videre saepe optabamus diem, T.: mihi optandum illud est, finem facere: decorari versibus, H.: ex Indiā sospitem ipsum reverti, Cu.
Origins
From *optos + -ō. The form *optos was originally the participle of *opeō, whose original form is only attested in Umbrian 𐌖𐌐𐌄𐌕𐌖 (upetu). See Proto-Italic page for further etymology.
Elsewhere
- Englishopt
- Englishoptate
- Frenchopter
- Italianoptare
- Portugueseoptar
- Romanianoptare
- Spanishoptar
- Dutchopterenfrom French opter
- Galicianoptar
- Piedmonteseopté
Italo-Romance
- Italianottare
Ibero-Romance
- Old Galician-Portugueseoutar
- Old Spanishotar