legō

From Proto-Italic *legō, from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-. Cognates include Ancient Greek λέγω (légō, “I speak, I choose, I mean”) and Albanian mbledh. May be related to lēx.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈle.ɡoː/, [ˈɫ̪ɛɡoː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈle.ɡo/, [ˈlɛːɡo]

Verb

legō (present infinitive legere, perfect active lēgī, supine lēctum); third conjugation

1. to choose, select [ synonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: dēligō, ēligō, optō, adoptō, dēsūmō, sēpōnō, dēstinō, sūmō, capiō, creō

2. to appoint [ synonyms ▲][ quotations ▼]

   Synonyms: dēlēgō, dēsignō, assignō, mandō, dēmandō, tribuō, īnstituō, impertiō, elēgō, appōnō, prōdō, cōnsociō, ōrdinō, distribuō, attribuō, discrībō, addīcō

3. to collect, gather, bring together [ synonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: cōgō, contrahō, cōnferō, congerō, coniungō, concieō, cōnserō, convehō, cōnstruō, glomerō, concitō, colligō

4. to take out, pick out, extract, remove
5. to take to one's self unjustly, carry off, steal, purloin, plunder, abstract [ synonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: āmoveō, removeō, adimō, dēmō, eximō, tollō, auferō, āvertō, abdūcō, excipiō, extrahō, ēvehō

6. to read [ quotations ▼]

   Librōs lege. ― Read books.

   Lēgistīne hunc librum? ― Have you read this book?

   Lingua Graeca est; nōn potest legī. ― It's Greek; it cannot be read.

7. (Medieval Latin) to teach, profess [ synonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: doceō, discō, īnstruō, ēducō, ērudiō, ēdoceō, magistrō, fingō