Borrowed fromLatinecce.
- IPA(key): (traditional anglicized)/ˈɛksi/,(Latinist)/ˈɛkeɪ/,(ecclesiastical)/ˈɛtʃeɪ/
ecce
- an interjection used to draw attention to something or someone;behold!
1819 November 24, “Baron Merian to Samuel Butler”, inComplete Works of Samuel Butler, Delphi Classics, published2015:DEAR SIR, —Ecce my notes on the sermon.
2013, T. Bonfiglio,Why is English Literature?:,→ISBN, page58:Ecce the rise of literature in the modern vernaculars, even the mother tongue
Fromec- +-ce. CompareOscanekkum.
ecce
- see!,look!,behold!, points out something with emphasis
Quem quaerō, optimēecce obviam mihi est.- Behold! There comes he I was wishing for.
Ecce hominem miserum.- Behold, a sad man.
Ecce autem videō rūre redeuntem senem.- Butlook, I see the old man returning to the country.
- (mostly elliptical)here!, orhere am/are/is!; used to denote that something is present (compare Frenchvoici or Italianecco)
Quid cessāmus lūdōs facere? Circus nosterecce adest!- Why should we stop playing games? We have ourtheatrehere!
Quid mē quaeris?Ecce mē.- Are you searching for me?Here I am.
- Ecce.
- Here I am.
Ecce odium meum. Quid mē vīs?- Seehere my aversion. What is it you want with me?
Ecce tuae litterae dē Varrōne.- Lo andbehold, your letters about Varro!
- This word is sometimes used in the middle of a clause.
- Audiat haec tantum—vel qui venitecce Palaemon.
- The interjection is particularly used in:
- After objects mentioned or enumerations, to introduce a new one with emphasis:
- Consecuti sunt hos Critias, Theramenes, Lysias, etc. ...ecce tibi exortus est Isocrates.
- They followed Critias, Theramenes, Lysias, etc.lo there arises Isocrates to thee.
- “ecce”, inCharlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879)A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “ecce”, inCharlton T. Lewis (1891)An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- ecce inGaffiot, Félix (1934)Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
FromProto-Tocharian*ecye (whence alsoTocharian Aaci), of further unknown origin.
ecce
- hither, to here
- Adams, Douglas Q. (2013) “ecce”, inA Dictionary of Tocharian B: Revised and Greatly Enlarged (Leiden Studies in Indo-European;10), Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi,→ISBN,page83
