Denuntiare

Denuntiare is a Latin verb of the first conjugation meaning to announce publicly, declare, report, or warn. It covers a range from formal proclamation to informing others of a matter, and can also carry a sense of forewarning or making something known to be true.

Etymology and forms: Denuntiare comes from the Latin verb denuntio, with the standard principal parts denuntio, denuntiare, denuntiavi, denuntiatus. As a regular 1st-conjugation verb, its active forms follow the standard patterns for this class, and it is related to the noun denuntiatio, meaning an announcement, notification, or warning.

Usage and nuance: In classical and late Latin, denuntiare is used in contexts such as public proclamation, official notification, or reporting a matter to others. It can convey simply making information known, or issuing a warning or admonition. The sense can extend from a private notification to a formal declaration before a body or the people. The verb may take various constructions to indicate the recipient of the notice (often with a dative or indirect object) and the content of the announcement (often in the accusative or a subordinate clause).

Semantic range: While denuntiare can be translated as “to announce” or “to report,” it can also carry the sense of “to inform for the sake of warning” or “to denounce” in contexts where public notice of wrongdoing is required. The term is commonly contrasted with nuntiare (to announce more generally) and with denuntiatio (the act or process of announcing or warning).

See also: denuntiatio, denuntio, nuntius.