nectō

Uncertain. Possibly related to nōdus (“knot”) and/or nassa (“a narrow-necked basket for catching fish”). The ending may be analogous to that found in plectō (“plait, weave, braid”) or pectō (“comb wool”).

The following roots and cognates have been proposed:

• Proto-Indo-European *gned-, *gnod- (“to bind”), making it cognate to Proto-Germanic *knuttô (“knot”) (whence Modern English knot), and possibly Ancient Greek γνάθος (gnáthos, “a jaw”).
• Proto-Indo-European *ned- (“to turn, twist, knot”), whence English net, Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬯𐬐𐬀- (naska-, “bundle”), Old Irish nascaid (“to bind”). This in turn is sometimes interpreted as being connected to Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- (“spin, sew”), the root of Latin neō (“spin, weave”). The root of these forms has alternatively been reconstructed as Proto-Indo-European *neh₃d-.
• Proto-Indo-European *h₁nedʰ- (“to tie together”) (alternatively reconstructed as *Hnadʰ- or *nedʰ-), whence (possibly) Sanskrit नह्यति (nahyati) and Proto-Germanic *nastijaną.
• Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”)
• Proto-Indo-European *h₁neǵʰ- (“to pierce”), the root of Old Church Slavonic ножь (nožĭ, “knife, dagger”), Proto-Slavic *nizati (“to string (to put (items) on a string)”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈnek.toː/, [ˈnɛkt̪oː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈnek.to/, [ˈnɛkt̪o]

Verb

nectō (present infinitive nectere, perfect active nexī, supine nexum); third conjugation

1. to connect, interweave, attach, unite; relate [ synonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: cōnectō, iungō, vinciō

2. to bind, tie, fasten [ synonyms, antonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: cōnectō, colligō, adalligō, cōnfīgō, cōnserō, dēligō, ligō, illigō, alligō, dēfīgō, fīgō, vinculō, dēstinō

   Antonyms: explicō, absolvō, dissolvō, solvō

3. to bind by obligation, oblige, make liable
4. to contrive, devise, compose, produce [ synonym ▲]

   Synonym: dēdūcō

Conjugation

• The third principal part may be nexī or nexuī.