conicere

Conicere is a Latin verb of the third conjugation of the -io type. Its present infinitive is conicere, and its principal parts are conicere, conieci, coniectum. The core meaning is “to throw together; to cast or hurl,” with both literal and figurative uses. It can describe throwing a projectile, as in telum conicit (he hurls a spear), and it also appears in senses such as to throw something upon or into a state, to thrust or cast something toward a target, or to throw out a conjecture or inference.

Usage and syntax: conicere is a transitive verb that typically takes a direct object in the accusative of what is thrown, and may be directed by prepositions such as in or ad to indicate target or direction. In figurative or cognitive uses, it can mean to throw or cast together thoughts, arguments, or conclusions, or to form a guess or inference, often with coniectio or coniectura derived nouns.

Morphology: as a semi-deponent -io verb, its present system includes conicio, conicis, conicit, conicimus, conicitis, coniciunt; imperfect coniciebam, coniciebas, coniciebat, coniciebamus, coniciebatis, coniciebant; perfect conieci, coniecisti, coniecit, coniecimus, coniecistis, coniecerunt; the supine is coniectum, giving rise to nouns such as coniectura (conjecture) and coniectio (inference).

Etymology: the form is built from the prefix con- “together” plus a root related to icere/iacio, i.e., the act of throwing.

See also: projicere, iacio.