Aggreditur

Aggreditur is a Latin verb form from aggredior, aggredi, aggressus sum. It is the third person singular present indicative of a deponent verb meaning “he attacks” or “he advances to assault.” Because aggredior is deponent, its forms are passive in form but active in meaning; aggreditur translates as an active, “he attacks,” rather than “he is attacked.”

Etymology and construction: aggredior belongs to the class of deponent verbs formed with the prefix ad- plus the root gradior/grad- meaning to go or advance. The present tense forms resemble passive endings, but the sense remains active. The principal parts are aggredior, aggredi, aggressus sum, with the perfect form often appearing as aggressus or aggreditus in compounds and perfect constructions.

Usage: The verb is chiefly employed in military or confrontational contexts to denote an attacker moving against a target. It typically governs a direct object in the accusative to indicate what is attacked, for example, aggressor hostem or aggreditur hostem. In broader rhetoric, it can be used metaphorically to describe an advance upon an argument, a city, or an opponent.

Translations and nuances: Aggreditur is commonly glossed as “he attacks,” “he makes an attack on,” or “he advances against.” As a deponent, it carries a sense of action initiated toward a target, with implications of engagement or assault, rather than a passive state of being attacked.

See also: aggredior, aggressio, aggressor (Latin noun forms related to attack).