-tito

Latin

Alternative forms

• -sitō

Etymology

A combination of -tō and -itō.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ti.toː/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ti.to/, (stressed on the antipenult)

Suffix

-titō (present infinitive -titāre, perfect active -titāvī, supine -titātum); first conjugation

1. Forms frequentative verbs from existing verbs.

Usage notes

Many verbs ending in -titō are simply "double frequentatives", formed to already-frequentative verbs in -tō, and are therefore not truly uses of this suffix. However, some verbs exist where the "intermediate" single frequentative is missing, e.g.:

• emō (supine emptum) > emptitō (but no *emptō)
• haereō (supine haesum) > haesitō (but no *haesō)
• scrībō (supine scrīptum) > scrīptitō (but no *scrīptō)

Conjugation

¹At least one use of the archaic "sigmatic future" and "sigmatic aorist" tenses is attested, which are used by Old Latin writers; most notably Plautus and Terence. The sigmatic future is generally ascribed a future or future perfect meaning, while the sigmatic aorist expresses a possible desire ("might want to"). It is also attested as having a rare sigmatic future passive indicative form ("will have been"), which is not attested in the plural for any verb.
²The present passive infinitive in -ier is a rare poetic form which is attested.

Derived terms