LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbthird (-iō variant) conjugation

suscipiō

suscipiō (present infinitive suscipere, perfect active suscēpī, supine susceptum)
Classical[sʊsˈkɪ.pi.oː]Ecclesiastical[suʃˈʃiː.pi.o]
susceptum acc. supine№ 937 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to take up, acknowledge
  2. to undertake, assume, begin, incur, enter upon (especially when done voluntarily and as a favor; cf. recipiō)
    Curius ubi intellegit, quantum periculum consuli inpendeat, propere per Fulviam Ciceroni dolum, qui parabatur, enuntiat. Ita illi ianua prohibiti tantum facinus frustra susceperant.When Curius learnt how great the danger which threatened the consul was, he hastily reported to Cicero, through Fulvia, the trap which was being prepared. When the men were thus turned away from the door, they had undertaken such a great crime in vain.c. 42 BCE, Gaius Sallustius Crispus, Bellum Catilinae 28.2–3
  3. to catch, receive, support
    [...] Suscipiunt famulae, conlāpsaque membra[Dido’s] maids catch her [as she swoons], and bring back [their queen’s] limp body to her marble chamber and duly lay her on the bed.29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.391–392
  4. to undergo, submit to, bear, accept, to be susceptible to
  5. to bear, beget

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

in mē recipiō; etiam: līberōs suscipere.
suscipiō -ere -cēpī — in Mille Verba, ch. Vīta et Mors

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Sumere · Capere · Prehendere · Accipere · Excipere · Recipere · Suscipere · Recuperare

1. Sumere (sub-imere) means to take up any thing, in order to use it, like αἱρεῖν; capere (from κάπτειν) to lay hold on any thing, in order to possess it, like λαβεῖν; lastly prehendere, præhendere (from χανδάνειν) to lay hold on any thing, in order, in a mere physical sense, to have it in one’s hand. Cic. Phil. xii. 7. Saga sumpsimus, arma cepimus. 2. Accipere means to take any thing offered, with willingness, δέχεσθαι; excipere, to intercept, or catch any thing that is escaping, ὑποδέχεσθαι; recipere, to take any thing that wants protection, with a generous feeling; suscipere, to undertake, or take upon one’s self any thing burdensome, with self-denial. The accipiens usually takes in his hand; the excipiens, in his arms; the recipiens, in his bosom; the suscipiens, on his arm or back. 3. Recipere means to receive again, without taking pains; whereas recuperare, to regain by one’s own exertion. Liv. xiii. 53, urbem recipit, by merely taking possession; comp. with xxvi. 39, urbe recuperata, by conquest. (iv. 131.)

Conjugation

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.suscipiōsuscipiēbamsuscipiamsuscēpīsuscēperamsuscēperō
2nd sg.suscipissuscipiēbāssuscipiēssuscēpistīsuscēperāssuscēperis
3rd sg.suscipitsuscipiēbatsuscipietsuscēpit
succēpit
suscēperatsuscēperit
1st pl.suscipimussuscipiēbāmussuscipiēmussuscēpimussuscēperāmussuscēperimus
2nd pl.suscipitissuscipiēbātissuscipiētissuscēpistissuscēperātissuscēperitis
3rd pl.suscipiuntsuscipiēbantsuscipientsuscēpērunt
suscēpēre
suscēperantsuscēperint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.suscipiamsusciperemsuscēperimsuscēpissem
2nd sg.suscipiāssusciperēssuscēperīssuscēpissēs
3rd sg.suscipiatsusciperetsuscēperitsuscēpisset
1st pl.suscipiāmussusciperēmussuscēperīmussuscēpissēmus
2nd pl.suscipiātissusciperētissuscēperītissuscēpissētis
3rd pl.suscipiantsusciperentsuscēperintsuscēpissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.suscipiorsuscipiēbarsuscipiar
2nd sg.susciperis
suscipere
suscipiēbāris
suscipiēbāre
suscipiēris
suscipiēre
3rd sg.suscipitursuscipiēbātursuscipiētur
1st pl.suscipimursuscipiēbāmursuscipiēmur
2nd pl.suscipiminīsuscipiēbāminīsuscipiēminī
3rd pl.suscipiuntursuscipiēbantursuscipientur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.suscipiarsusciperer
2nd sg.suscipiāris
suscipiāre
susciperēris
susciperēre
3rd sg.suscipiātursusciperētur
1st pl.suscipiāmursusciperēmur
2nd pl.suscipiāminīsusciperēminī
3rd pl.suscipiantursusciperentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.suscipesuscipere
pres. 2nd pl.suscipitesuscipiminī
fut. 2nd sg.suscipitōsuscipitor
fut. 3rd sg.suscipitōsuscipitor
fut. 2nd pl.suscipitōte—
fut. 3rd pl.suscipiuntōsuscipiuntor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivesusciperesuscipī
perfect infinitivesuscēpissesusceptum esse
future infinitivesusceptūrum essesusceptum īrī
present participlesuscipiēns
suscipiente, suscipientem, suscipientēs, suscipientī, suscipientia, suscipientibus, suscipientis, suscipientīs, suscipientium
—
perfect participle—susceptus
suscepta, susceptā, susceptae, susceptam, susceptārum, susceptās, suscepte, susceptī, susceptīs, susceptō, susceptōrum, susceptōs
future participlesusceptūrus
susceptūra, susceptūrā, susceptūrae, susceptūram, susceptūrārum, susceptūrās, susceptūre, susceptūrī, susceptūrīs, susceptūrō, susceptūrōrum, susceptūrōs, susceptūrum
suscipiendus
suscipiundus
gerundsuscipiendī, suscipiendō, suscipiendumsupinesusceptum, susceptū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

causam suscipere
to undertake a case.
negotium suscipere
to undertake an affair.
inanem laborem suscipere
to lose one's labour.
tollere or suscipere liberos
to accept as one's own child; to make oneself responsible for its nurture and education.
religionem externam suscipere
to embrace a strange religion.
inimicitias cum aliquo suscipere
to make a person one's enemy.
pericula subire, adire, suscipere
to incur danger, risk.
bellum pro religionibus susceptum
a religious war.
6 more phrases
scelus (in se) concipere, suscipere
to commit a crime and so make oneself liable to the consequences of it.
odium implacabile suscipere in aliquem
to conceive an implacable hatred against a man.
causam popularem suscipere or defendere
to take up the cause of the people, democratic principles.
vota facere, nuncupare, suscipere, concipere
to make a vow.
alicuius odium subire, suscipere, in se convertere, sibi conflare
to incur a person's hatred.
meae vitae rationes ab ineunte aetate susceptae (Imp. Pomp. 1. 1.)
the principles which I have followed since I came to man's estate.

suscĭpĭo (sometimes succĭpĭo; cf. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 175 and 144; Vel. Long. p. 2226 P.), cēpi, ceptum, 3, v. a. sus, a contraction of subs, for sub; v. sub fin., and capio, qs. to take hold of in order to support, i. e.
I. to take or catch up, to take upon one.
I. To support, hold up, sustain.
A. Lit.: quid loquar lapideas moles, quibus porticus suscipimus, Sen. Ep. 90, 26: theatrum fulturis ab substructionibus, Plin. Ep. 10, 38, 2: latera puteorum structurā, Pall. Aug. 9, 2: labentem domum, Sen. Ben. 6, 15, 5: balnea suscepta crepidine, supported, resting on, etc., Stat. S. 1, 3, 43: habenas, Sen. Troad. 728.—
B. Trop.
1. To support, defend: famam defuncti pudoremque, Plin. Ep. 2, 4, 2: qui temere nocentis reos susciperet, Quint. 11, 1, 74: cum periculo suscepti litigatoris, id. 2, 12, 4. —
2. To take upon one, undertake, assume, begin, incur, enter upon (esp. when done voluntarily and as a favor; recipio, when done as a duty or under an obligation).
(a). Of actions, obligations, etc. (class. and freq.): aut inimicitias aut laborem aut sumptus suscipere nolunt, Cic. Off. 1, 9, 28: inimicitias, Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 34; Nep. Pelop. 1, 3; cf. Cic. Lael. 21, 77: personā susceptā viri boni, id. Clu. 36, 101: honestam rem actionemve, id. Lael. 13, 47: bellum, id. Leg. 2, 14, 34; id. Rep. 3, 23, 35; id. Off. 1, 11, 35; Caes. B. G. 1, 16; 7, 37 al.: rei publicae partem, Cic. Rep. 1, 6, 10; id. Mil. 15, 40: causam populi, id. Rep. 4, 8, 27: patrocinium improbitatis, etc., id. ib. 3, 5, 8; id. de Or. 3, 17, 63: negotium, id. Cat. 3, 2, 5: iter Asiaticum, id. Att. 4, 15, 2: omnia alter pro altero suscipiet, id. Lael. 22, 82: aes alienum amicorum, id. Off. 2, 16, 56: cum inaudita ac nefaria sacra susceperis, id. Vatin. 6, 14: porcam praecidaneam, Varr. ap. Non. 163, 21: pulvinar, Liv. 5, 52, 6: prodigia (with curare), id. 1, 20: votum, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 75; Liv. 27, 45, 8; Ov. F. 6, 246: disputationem de re publicā, Cic. Rep. 1, 7, 12; cf. id. Off. 1, 2, 7: nec enim hoc suscepi, ut, etc., tamquam magister persequerer omnia, id. Rep. 1, 24, 38: permagnum quiddam, id. de Or. 1, 22, 103: quae si suscipiamus, undertake to prove, id. Div. 2, 40, 84; so with obj.-clause: qui suscipiant, posse animum manere corpore vacantem, etc., id. Tusc. 1, 32, 78.— Rarely with dat. of reflex. pron.: legationem ad civitates sibi, Caes. B. G. 1, 3; cf.: tantum sibi auctoritatis in re publicā suscepit, ut, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 58, § 152: mihi auctoritatem patriam severitatemque suscipio, id. Cael. 16, 37.—
(b). Of feelings, experiences, etc., to undergo, submit to, bear, accept: morbos durumque dolorem, Lucr. 3, 460; so, dolorem, Cic. Tusc. 1, 46, 111: dolorem gemitumque, id. Vatin. 8, 19: invidiam atque offensionem apud populos, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 55, § 137: odium, id. Att. 6, 1, 25: molestiam, id. Caecin. 6, 17.—With in and acc.: miserius qui suscipit in se scelus quam si qui alterius facinus subire cogitur, i. e. wilfully incurs guilt, Cic. Phil. 11, 4, 9; cf.: si esset inventus, qui in se suscipere istius culpam crimenque cuperet, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 42, § 91: negotiatoribus Claudius certa lucra proposuit, suscepto in se damno, si cui, etc., Suet. Claud. 18. —
II. To take, catch, take up, receive.
A. In gen. (so only poet. and in post-Aug. prose): sol aeternam suscepit lampada mundi, to catch up, Lucr. 5, 402: dominam ruentem, Verg. A. 11, 806: suscipiunt famulae, id. ib. 4, 391: cruorem pateris, id. ib. 6, 249; cf.: cava suscepto flumine palma sat est, Prop. 4 (5), 9, 36.(al. succepto): ignem foliis, Verg. A. 1, 175. —
B. In partic.
1. To take up a new-born child from the ground; hence, to acknowledge, recognize, bring up as one's own (class.; cf. tollo): simul atque editi in lucem et suscepti sumus, Cic. Tusc. 3, 1, 2: puerum, Ter. And. 2, 3, 27: haec ad te die natali meo scripsi, quo utinam susceptus non essem! Cic. Att. 11, 9, 3.—
b. In gen., to get, beget, or bear children: filia, quam ex te suscepi, Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 34: filiam ex uxore, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7 (8), 50: liberos ex libertini filiā, Cic. Phil. 3, 6, 17; cf. Ter. Phorm. 5, 7 (8), 74: inde filiam, id. ib. 5, 8 (9), 18: susceperas liberos non solum tibi, sed etiam patriae, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 69, § 161: si qua mihi de te suscepta fuisset Ante fugam suboles, Verg. A. 4, 327; Vulg. Judic. 11, 2.—
2. To take, receive, as a citizen, under one's protection, as a pupil, etc. (rare but class.): Cato cum esset Tusculi natus, in populi Romani civitatem susceptus est, Cic. Leg. 2, 2, 5: suscipe me totum, Vatin. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 9, 1: suscepi candidatum, Plin. Ep. 6, 6, 9: susceptos a se discipulos, Quint. 2, 5, 1; 11, 1, 55: pancratiasten docendum, id. 2, 8, 13: aliquos erudiendos, id. 2, 8, 1.—
3. To receive, get: pecuniam, Dig. 22, 3, 25: pretio, quod dominus suscepit, App. M. 8, p. 213, 20.—
C. Trop.: suscepit vita hominum consuetudoque communis, ut, etc., has allowed, admitted, Cic. N. D. 2, 24, 62.—
2. To take up, resume, continue a speech, answer: suscipit Stolo: Tu, inquit, invides, etc., Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 24; cf.: ad quod ... sermonem suscipit Polus, Quint. 2, 15, 28; Verg. A. 6, 723; App. M. 4, p. 150, 8; 9, p. 227, 12. —Hence, P. a. as subst.: susceptum, i, n., an undertaking: susceptaque magna labore Crescere difficili, Ov. M. 11, 200.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Proto-Italic*supo
  3. Latinsuscipiō

Latin sub- substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Archaic Latin kapiō Latin capiō Latin suscipiō From sub- + capiō (“seize”).

Descendants
  • Englishsuscept
  • Old Frenchsosceivre
  • Old Occitansoisebre
  • Romanshtschütschaiver

Quick answers

What does suscipiō mean in Latin?
suscipiō, a verb, means “to take up, acknowledge; to undertake, assume, begin, incur, enter upon (especially when done voluntarily and as a favor; cf. recipiō)”.
What are the principal parts of suscipiō?
suscipiō, suscipere, suscēpī (third (-iō variant) conjugation).
How do you pronounce suscipiō?
In classical Latin, [sʊsˈkɪ.pi.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [suʃˈʃiː.pi.o].
Where does suscipiō come from?
Proto-Indo-European *upó → Proto-Italic *supo → Latin suscipiō.