solvere

Solvere is a Latin verb meaning to loosen, untie, release; to dissolve; to pay. It is a member of the third conjugation, and its principal parts are solvo, solvere, solvi, solutum. The infinitive is solvere and the present active indicative first person singular is solvo.

In Latin grammar, solvere is used as a transitive verb with a direct object, for example to loosen bonds or to pay debts. Its perfect active form is solvi, and the supine or perfect passive participle is solutum. The verb also yields the passive forms, such as solvitur, and the participial or adjectival forms including solutus. Over time, its meaning broadened from physical loosening or release to more abstract senses, such as solving a problem or dissolving a substance. A common medieval or classical example is solvo quaestionem, “I solve (or loosen) the question.”

Etymologically, solvere is the source of many Latin-derived terms in English. The noun solutio, meaning a loosening, dissolution, or solution, gives rise to words such as solution. The present participle solvens yields English adjectives and nouns like solvent and solvency, while solvēre’s sense of payment also underpins terms describing financial solvency. The English verb solve, the adjective soluble, and related derivatives such as solvable and solvency all trace back to this Latin root.

In modern usage, solvere is primarily encountered in historical or linguistic contexts, classical texts, and discussions of Latin grammar. Its influence persists in scientific and mathematical terminology through words like solution and solvent, reflecting the verb’s broad semantic range from loosening to resolving.