sciō
Meaning
- to be able to, to know (how to do), understand, to have practical knowledge
Scīsne ubi habitēmus?
Do you know where we live?c. 84 BCE – 54 BCE, Catullus, Carmina 68.85
- euphemisticto have had sex with, have ever slept with
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
vērum in mente habeō; quod didicī, sciō.Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Cognitio · Notitia · Scientia · Ignarus · Inscius · Nescius
1. Cognitio is an act of the mind by which knowledge is acquired, whereas notitia and scientia denote a state of the mind; notitia, together with nosse, denotes a state of the merely receptive faculties of the mind, which brings an external appearance to consciousness, and retains it there; whereas scientia, together with scire, involves spontaneous activity, and a perception of truth; notitia may be the result of casual perception; scientia implies a thorough knowledge of its object, the result of mental activity. Cic. Sen. 4, 12. Quanta notitia antiquitatis! quanta scientia juris Romani! 2. The ignarus is without notitia, the inscius without scientia. Tac. H. i. 11. Ægyptum provinciam insciam legum, ignaram magistratuum; for legislation is a science, and must be studied; government an art, and may be learnt by practice. 3. Inscius denotes a person who has not learnt something, with blame; nescius, who has accidentally not heard of, or experienced something, indifferently. Cic. Brut. 83. Inscium omnium rerum et rudem. Compare this with Plin. Ep. viii. 23, Absens et impendentis mali nescius. (v. 266.)
Sapiens · Prudens · Callidus · Scitus · Solers · Cordatus · Catus
1. Sapiens (from σήπω) is the person who chooses right objects, from ennobling views, and pursues them with quietness of mind; prudens and callidus denote the person who chooses right means, and regulates them with circumspection; prudentia is a natural judiciousness, pervading a man’s whole nature: calliditas, an acquired knowledge of the world and of men, gained by experience and practice. Cic. Fr. Scaur. 5. Hominis prudentis natura, callidi usu, doctrina eruditi. 2. Prudens is the person who has accurate practical views, in opp. to stultus; scitus, who has tact, mother-wit, and the faculty of combination; solers, who possesses practical genius and inventive power; cordatus, who has his head in the right place, in opp. to excors; catus, who discovers and knows secret means and ways. (v. 114.)
Conjugation conjugation 4
| form | present | imperfect | future | perfect | pluperfect | fut. perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | sciō | sciēbam scībam | sciam scībō | scīvī sciī | scīveram scīram, scieram | scīverō scīrō, scierō |
| 2nd sg. | scīs | sciēbās scībās | sciēs scībis | scīvistī scīstī, sciistī | scīverās scīrās, scierās | scīveris scīris, scieris |
| 3rd sg. | scit | sciēbat scībat | sciet scībit | scīvit scīt, sciit | scīverat scīrat, scierat | scīverit scīrit, scierit |
| 1st pl. | scīmus | sciēbāmus scībāmus | sciēmus scībimus | scīvimus scīmus, sciimus | scīverāmus scīrāmus, scierāmus | scīverimus scīrimus, scierimus |
| 2nd pl. | scītis | sciēbātis scībātis | sciētis scībitis | scīvistis scīstis, sciistis | scīverātis scīrātis, scierātis | scīveritis scīritis, scieritis |
| 3rd pl. | sciunt | sciēbant scībant | scient scībunt | scīvērunt scīrunt, scīvēre, sciērunt, sciēre | scīverant scīrant, scierant | scīverint scīrint, scierint |
active subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect | perfect | pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | sciam | scīrem | scīverim scīrim, scierim | scīvissem scīssem, sciissem |
| 2nd sg. | sciās | scīrēs | scīverīs scīrīs, scierīs | scīvissēs scīssēs, sciissēs |
| 3rd sg. | sciat | scīret | scīverit scīrit, scierit | scīvisset scīsset, sciisset |
| 1st pl. | sciāmus | scīrēmus | scīverīmus scīrīmus, scierīmus | scīvissēmus scīssēmus, sciissēmus |
| 2nd pl. | sciātis | scīrētis | scīverītis scīrītis, scierītis | scīvissētis scīssētis, sciissētis |
| 3rd pl. | sciant | scīrent | scīverint scīrint, scierint | scīvissent scīssent, sciissent |
passive indicative
| form | present | imperfect | future |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | scior | sciēbar scībar | sciar scībor |
| 2nd sg. | scīris scīre | sciēbāris sciēbāre, scībāris, scībāre | sciēris sciēre, scīberis, scībere |
| 3rd sg. | scītur | sciēbātur scībātur | sciētur scībitur |
| 1st pl. | scīmur | sciēbāmur scībāmur | sciēmur scībimur |
| 2nd pl. | scīminī | sciēbāminī scībāminī | sciēminī scībiminī |
| 3rd pl. | sciuntur | sciēbantur scībantur | scientur scībuntur |
passive subjunctive
| form | present | imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | sciar | scīrer |
| 2nd sg. | sciāris sciāre | scīrēris scīrēre |
| 3rd sg. | sciātur | scīrētur |
| 1st pl. | sciāmur | scīrēmur |
| 2nd pl. | sciāminī | scīrēminī |
| 3rd pl. | sciantur | scīrentur |
imperative
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| pres. 2nd sg. | scītō scī | scīre |
| pres. 2nd pl. | scītōte scīte | scīminī |
| fut. 2nd sg. | scītō | scītor |
| fut. 3rd sg. | scītō | scītor |
| fut. 2nd pl. | scītōte | — |
| fut. 3rd pl. | sciuntō | sciuntor |
infinitives & participles
| form | active | passive |
|---|---|---|
| present infinitive | scīre | scīrī |
| perfect infinitive | scīvisse scīsse, sciisse | scītum esse |
| future infinitive | scītūrum esse | scītum īrī |
| present participle | sciēns sciente, scientem, scientēs, scientī, scientia, scientibus, scientis, scientīs, scientium | — |
| perfect participle | — | scītus scīta, scītā, scītae, scītam, scītārum, scītās, scītī, scītōrum, scītōs |
| future participle | scītūrus scītūra, scītūrā, scītūrae, scītūram, scītūrārum, scītūrās, scītūre, scītūrī, scītūrīs, scītūrō, scītūrōrum, scītūrōs, scītūrum | sciendus |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- quod sciam
- as far as I know.
- latine scire
- to know Latin.
- quantum scio
- as far as I know.
- litteras scire
- to have received a liberal education.
- probe scio, non ignoro
- I know very well.
- scientia augere aliquem
- to enrich a person's knowledge.
- experti scimus, didicimus
- we know from experience.
- bene latine doctus or sciens
- a good Latin scholar.
4 more phrases
- scientia comprehendere aliquid
- to acquire knowledge of a subject.
- certo (certe) scio (Arch. 12. 32)
- I know for a fact.
- latinam linguam scire or didicisse
- to know Latin.
- regionum terrestrium aut maritimarum scientia
- geographical knowledge.
scibas, Plaut. Aul. 4, 10, 24; id. Ps. 1, 5, 85: scibat, id. Am. prol. 22; Lucr. 5, 934: scibatis, Plaut. Rud. 2, 3, 47: scibant, Lucr. 5, 949; 5, 953; Cat. 68, 85.—Fut. scibo, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 13; id. Most. 4, 3, 5; id. Men. 2, 3, 35; 5, 2, 57; id. Ps. 1, 2, 41; 1, 5, 65; id. Truc. 2, 6, 69; Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 58; id. Ad. 3, 3, 7; 5, 2, 5; id. Hec. 2, 2, 4: scibis, Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 22; id. Ep. 2, 2, 101; 5, 1, 49; id. Mil. 4, 8, 55; id. Ps. 4, 4, 2; id. Poen. 5, 4, 57; id. Pers. 2, 2, 37; id. Rud. 2, 3, 35; Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 35; id. Heaut. 5, 2, 43: scibit, Cato, R. R. 5, 5; Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 69; 1, 2, 51; id. Mil. 3, 2, 46; Ter. Phorm. 5, 1, 38: scibimus, Plaut. Merc. 5, 4, 57: scibunt, id. Poen. 2, 16.— Perf. sciit, Sen. Contr. 1, 1, 17.—Pass. scibitur, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 5: scin' for scisne, id. Am. 1, 1, 200; 2, 2, 39; 5, 1, 30; id. As. 3, 3, 113; id. Aul. 1, 1, 8 et saep.; Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 47; 3, 1, 47; 4, 6, 6; 4, 7, 30 et saep.—Perf. sync. scisti, Ov. A. A. 1, 131; id. F. 4, 527: scirint, Tac. Dial. 33; so, regularly, inf. scisse, e. g. Cic. de Or. 1, 13, 58; cf. Quint. 1, 6, 17), v. a. root sci-; Gr. κείω (for σκείω), κεάζω, to split, divide; cf.: scisco, plebiscitum, etc., prop. to distinguish, discern. plurimā mutatione figuramus, Scio, Non ignoro, et Non me fugit, et Non me praeterit, et Quis nescit? et Nemini dubium est. Sed etiam ex proximo mutuari licet. Nam et intellego et sentio et video saepe idem valent quod scio, Quint. 10, 1, 13 (freq. in all styles and periods; cf. nosco). aut scire istarum rerum nihil, aut, etiam si maxime sciemus, nec, etc., Cic. Rep. 1, 19, 32: ut vilicus naturam agri novit, dispensator litteras scit, etc., id. ib. 5, 3, 5: quod nec didicerint nec umquam scire curaverint, id. ib. 1, 6, 11: ego omnem rem scio Quemadmodum est, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 69: id equidem ego certo scio, id. ib. 3, 3, 33: quod pro certo sciam, id. ib. 3, 4, 13: Mi. Ubi ipse est? Ch. Nescio. Nihil jam me oportet scire ... nescio etiam id quod scio, id. ib. 4, 6, 21: haec scivisti et me celavisti? id. Pers. 5, 2, 19: is omnes linguas scit: sed dissimulat sciens, Se scire, id. Poen. prol. 112 (cf. supra, litteras, Cic. Rep. 5, 3, 5): comoediam, Titin. ap. Non. 277, 26: bene id opus, id. ib. 3, 21: artem, Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 44: juventutis mores qui sciam, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 2: remuneremini nos, ac quae scitis, proferatis in me dium: nemo enim omnia potest scire, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 2; cf.: nec scire fas est omnia, Hor. C. 4, 4, 22: SENATVOSQVE SENTENTIAM VTEI SCIENTES ESETIS, S. C. de Bacch. 23, ap. Wordsw. Fragm. and Spec. p. 173: quod scio, omne ex hoc scio, I know all from him, Plaut. Curc. 2, 2, 7: aliquid ex aliquo, id. Capt. 2, 2, 45; id. Most. 3, 2, 58; Cic. Fam. 9, 17, 1; id. Att. 5, 2, 3 al. (v. infra, γ and δ; and cf. in the foll., with de instead of ex): quod sciam, for aught I know, as far as I know, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 70; 2, 2, 15; id. Most. 4, 3, 19; id. Men. 2, 2, 23; 3, 2, 35 al.; Ter. Ad. 4, 5, 7; Cic. Att. 16, 2, 4; Quint. 9, 1, 17; 9, 4, 63 al.; cf.: quantum ego quidem sciam, Quint. 3, 1, 19.— Pass.: quod quom scibitur, per urbem irridebor, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 5: ars earum rerum est, quae sciuntur, Cic. de Or. 2, 7, 30: an nihil certum sciri possit, id. ib. 1, 51, 222: id de Marcello aut certe de Postumiā sciri potest, can be learned from Marcellus, etc., id. Att. 12, 22, 2.—qui uti sciat, Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 27: si sciret regibus uti, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 14: antequam declamare sciat, Quint. 2, 1, 3: si docere sciant et velint, id. 10, 5, 19: digredi a re et redire ad propositum suum scierit, id. 9, 2, 4 et saep.: vincere scis, Hannibal, Liv. 22, 51, 4: qui nec ipse consulere nec alteri parere sciat, id. 22, 29, 8: qui tegere liberos sciat, id. 1, 53, 8; 38, 52, 2; Curt. 4, 2, 14: scio, fortunas secundas neglegentiam prendere solere, Cato ap. Fest, s.v. parsi, p. 210: dii sciunt, culpam meam istanc non esse ullam, Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 41: scio, tibi ita placere, Cic. Rep. 1, 30, 46: quas (leges) scitis exstare, id. ib. 5, 2, 3: scimus L. Atilium appellatum esse sapientem id. Lael. 2, 6: scis, In breve te cogi, Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 7: scire licet, nobis venas et sanguen ... alienigenis ex partibus esse, it is easy to see that, etc., Lucr. 1, 860 (shortly before and after, scilicet); so, scire licet, id. 1, 894; 2, 930; 2, 967; 3, 873 et saep.; Liv. 1, 39, 3; Cels. 1, 1 fin.; 1, 2; 3, 2 al.—So, in familiar style, imper. scito, be assured, I reply that, remember, etc.: fenestrarum angustias quod reprehendis, scito te Κύρου παιδείαν reprehendere, Cic. Att. 2, 3, 2; 12, 21, 5: scito hoc nos in eo judicio consecutos esse, ut, etc., id. Q. Fr. 2, 4, 1; id. Fam. 1, 9, 24; 5, 20, 7; cf.: istis contumeliis scitote Q. Lollium coactum, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 25, § 62; 2, 3, 56, § 129.—Esp., introducing a conclusion, after si, sin, nisi: si venturus es, scito necesse esse te venire, Cic. Fam. 9, 4 init.: sin ista pax perditum hominem restitutura est, hoc animo scito omnis sanos, etc., id. ib. 10, 27, 1: si vos semel finem legis transieritis, scitote vos nullum ceteris in aestimando finem improbitatis reliquisse, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 95, § 220; 2, 4, 30, § 68; id. Cat. 2, 10, 23.—Rarely in part. pres. (postAug.; cf. P. a., infra): interrogant an vir daturus sit beneficium ingrato, sciens ingratum esse, Sen. Ben. 4, 26, 1: Laqueo vitam finiit, sciens et in Maximino multum esse roboris, Capitol. in Max. 19: totam hereditatem sciens ad se non pertinere, Gai. Inst. 4, 144.—Impers.: hoc scitis omnes, usque adeo hominem in periculo fuisse, quoad scitum sit, Sestium vivere, Cic. Sest. 38, 82.—Pass., with nom. and inf.: Christus scitur vocis simplicis jussione ambulatum dedisse contractis, Arn. 1, 48.—isti jam sciunt, negotii quid sit, Plaut. Poen. 3, 2, 13: ut sciamus, quid dicamus mox pro testimonio, id. ib. 3, 2, 19: scin' quam iracundus siem? id. Bacch. 4, 2, 12: cuivis facile scitu est, quam fuerim miser, Ter. Hec. 3, 1, 15: cum sciatis, quo quaeque res inclinet, Cic. Rep. 2, 25, 46: Sestium quanti faciam, ipse optime scio, id. Fam. 13, 8, 1: ex tribus istis modis rerum publicarum velim scire quod optimum judices, id. ib. 1, 30, 46: ut eum (hostem) non modo esse, sed etiam, quis et unde sit, scire possimus, id. ib. 2, 3, 6: coqua est haec quidem: Scit muriatica ut maceret, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 39; Ter. Hec. 3, 5, 18; Cic. Mur. 9, 22; Hor. C. 3, 4, 42 al.: scire velis, mea cur opuscula lector Laudet, id. Ep. 1, 19, 35; 2, 2, 187: quī scis, an, quae jubeam, sine vi faciat? Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 20; Hor. C. 4, 7, 17; id. A. P. 462; cf. the phrase haud scio an, under an.—Pass.: hinc sciri potuit, Quo studio vitam suam te absente exegerit, Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 38: scito ... nec, quando futura sint comitia, sciri, Cic. Att. 1, 11, 2.—With indic. in the rel.-clause (ante-class.): Ba. Scio, quid ago. Pi. Et pol ego scio, quid metuo, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 45; cf.: scitin' quid ego vos rogo? id. Men. 5, 9, 92: scis tu, ut confringi vas cito Samium solet, id. Bacch. 2, 2, 24: jam ego ex hoc, ut factum est, scibo, id. Men. 5, 2, 57; instead of which, with subj.: ex me primo prima scires, rem ut gessissem publicam, id. Am. 1, 3, 26: ex hoc scibo quid siet, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 59; id. Hec. 4, 2, 4.—jam vero de legibus, de bello, de pace ... scisse, Cic. de Or. 1, 13, 58.—(ε) Absol.: hi sciunt, qui hic affuerunt, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 31: quom videbis, tum scies, id. Bacch. 1, 2, 37: Pi. Quī scire possum? Ch. Nullus plus, id. ib. 2, 2, 13: quem, ut scitis, unice dilexi, Cic. Rep. 2, 1, 1; so, ut scitis, parenthetically, id. ib. 1, 14, 21; 2, 31, 54; 6, 9, 9; id. Lael. 21, 77; cf. scio alone, parenthetically: injurato scio plus credet mihi quam jurato tibi, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 281: ego abeo: tu jam scio patiere, id. As. 2, 2, 111: quam tu propediem effliges scio, id. ib. 4, 2, 9 et saep.: scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter, Pers. 1, 27: nemo ex me scibit, Ter. Phorm. 5, 1, 38.—Pass.: non opus est dicto ... at scito huic opus est, Ter. Phorm. 5, 8, 14: plus, quam opus est scito, sciet, id. ib. 4, 1, 18; so, with adv. or adverb.-clause: non tam praeclarum est scire Latine, quam turpe nescire, Cic. Brut. 37, 140; so, Latine, id. Fin. 2, 4, 13; Liv. 1, 27: luculenter Graece, Cic. Fin. 2, 5, 15: Graece, id. Fam. 9, 22, 3: ubi hanc forma videt honesta virginem, Et fidibus scire, and that she was skilled in music, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 53 (cf.: docere aliquem fidibus. Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 3: discere fidibus, id. Lael. 8, 26).—(ζ) With de: de legibus instituendis, de bello, de pace, etc., Cic. de Or. 1, 13, 58: cum is, qui de omnibus scierit, de Sullā se scire negavit, id. Sull. 13, 39.—(η) With non (very rare for nescio; cf.: non scire barbarum jam videtur, nescire dulcius, Cic. Or. 47, 157): quis enim erat qui non sciret studiosiorem Mithridatem fuisse, etc., id. Fl. 25, 59: tam imperitus, ut non sciret, etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 44: quid? non sciunt ipsi viam, domum quā veniant? Ter. Hec. 3, 2, 25; Auct. Her. 4, 27, 37; Treb. ap. Cic. Fam. 12, 16, 3; Sen. Contr. 2, 11, 19.—ut tribunus plebis rogationem ferret sciretque plebs, uti, etc., Liv. 26, 33, 10 Weissenb. ad loc.; cf.: a scire for asciscere, Tac. Agr. 19; id. H. 4, 80.—Hence, scĭens, entis, P. a., knowing, i. e. ubi verbis conceptis sciens libenter perjuraris, Plaut. As. 3, 2, 16: amore ardeo et prudens, sciens, Vivus vidensque pereo, Ter. Eun. 1, 1, 27; so (with prudens) Cael. ap. Cic. Att. 10, 9, A, 5; Suet. Ner. 2 fin.: equidem plus hodie boni Feci imprudens, quam sciens ante hunc diem umquam, Ter. Hec. 5, 4, 40; so (opp. imprudens) id. Phorm. 4, 3, 55; Cic. Planc. 16, 41; (opp. insciens) id. Balb. 5, 13: habebit igitur te sciente et vidente curia senatorem, etc., id. Clu. 46, 129: an ille me tentat sciens? Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 29; id. Bacch. 3, 6, 40; id. Ps. 1, 1, 90; id. Poen. prol. 112; Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 13; id. Heaut. 5, 5, 6 al.: heia vero, inquit, geram morem vobis et me oblinam sciens, Cic. Rep. 3, 5, 8 et saep.—So the formula: si sciens fallo; v. fallo.—id ego jam nunc tibi renuntio, ut sis sciens, Ter. And. 3, 2, 28: quod me non scientem feceris, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 34; Ter Heaut. 4, 8, 32: vites pampinari: sed a sciente, Varr. R. R. 1, 31, 1: quis igitur hoc homine scientior umquam fuit? Cic. Imp. Pomp. 10, 28: scientior venefica, Hor. Epod. 5, 72: quae (navis) scientissimo gubernatore utitur, Cic. Inv. 1, 34, 58.—Sup.: sit oportet idem scientissimus, Col. 11, 1.—dominum scientem esse oportet earum rerum, quae, etc., Varr. R. R. 3, 3, 1: locorum, Sall. J. 97, 3: pugnae, Hor. C. 1, 15, 24: citharae, id. ib. 3, 9, 10: Latinae linguae, Tac. A. 2, 13: juris, id. ib. 3, 70; 6, 26 et saep.—Sup.: M. Scaurus, vir regendae rei publicae scientissimus, Cic. de Or. 1, 49, 214; Vulg. 2 Par. 2, 13.—* quamvis non alius flectere equum sciens, Hor. C. 3, 7, 25.—Adv.: scĭenter (acc. to B.), knowingly, understandingly, wisely, skilfully, expertly, etc.: scienter et perite et ornate dicere, Cic. de Or. 2, 2, 5: uti (with modice), id. ib. 1, 29, 132; id. Off. 2, 5, 18: sese distribuunt in duas partes, Caes. B. C. 1, 55.—Comp.: neminem in eo genere scientius versatum Isocrate, Cic. Or. 52, 175; Caes. B. G. 7, 22.—Sup.: coepit rationem hujus operis (sphaerae) scientissime Gallus exponere, Cic. Rep. 1, 14, 22; id. Div. 1, 41, 92.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
Origins
De Vaan follows the LIV in tentatively reconstructing Proto-Italic *skijō, from Proto-Indo-European *skey- (“to distinguish, dissect”), in which case related to secō (“to cut off”), signum (“a sign”), Ancient Greek σχίζω (skhízō, “to split”) and English shit. He additionally notes the bare verb may be a backformation from negative nesciō, which proposed semantic development is not unusual.
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