competem

Competem is a term that may appear in discussions of Latin morphology, but it is not a standard, widely attested form in classical Latin. The root it relates to is the verb competō, competere, competī, competitum, meaning to strive, contend, or meet. In the canonical paradigm, the 1st person present indicative is competō, and the 1st person present active subjunctive is competam. The form “competem” is generally regarded as nonstandard and not part of the classical grammatical system.

In linguistic practice, competem is sometimes cited as a nonregular or marginal variant that can occur in late or medieval manuscripts, or as a scribal or orthographic error for the more regular competam or another related form, depending on context. When encountered, its interpretation usually relies on surrounding morphology and syntax to determine the intended mood, tense, and voice. As a result, competem serves mainly as a cautionary example in discussions of Latin inflection and manuscript variation rather than as a productive or commonly used form.

There is no widely recognized modern entity, brand, or organization formally named Competem in mainstream sources. If the term appears in contemporary material, it is typically as a coined proper noun rather than as a continuation of classical Latin grammar. In such cases, the meaning and scope are defined by the specific source rather than by a standardized linguistic entry.

See also: competō, competere, competī, competitum; Latin verb morphology; Latin subjunctive forms.