прѣподобьнъ

Forms

прѣподобьнъ (prěpodobĭnŭ)^[1] Often abbreviated under a titlo (прпдбн-, прдн-), above all in the Assemanianus, the Psalterium Sinaiticum and the Euchologium.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Old Church Slavonic прѣ- (prě-) + подобьнъ (podobĭnŭ, “fitting, proper”), an elative of the adjective.^[1][3] подобьнъ, meaning similar and also fitting or proper, is formed from подоба (podoba, “likeness, form”).^[1][3]

The noun is inherited from Proto-Slavic *podoba (“likeness, appearance”), found as Serbo-Croatian podoba, Slovene podoba, Czech podoba, Polish podoba and Ukrainian подоба (podoba).^[3] ESJS takes it most likely from the prefix *po and *doba (“time, fitting time”);^[3] Snoj derives it from a prepositional phrase, while Machek takes it as a back-formation from подобати (podobati, “to befit”), itself formed from that noun.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Psalterium Sinaiticum it renders Ancient Greek ὅσιος (hósios, “holy, pious”): съ прѣподобьномь прѣподобенъ бѫдеши “with the holy you will be holy” (Ps 17, 26).^[4] The Enina Apostolos has такъ намъ подобааше архиереи прѣподобьнъ безлобьнъ “such a high priest became us, holy, harmless” (Hb 7, 26), where подобати and the adjective stand side by side.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective means holy, just or righteous, mostly for ὅσιος, and once in the Wisdom of Solomon for ἐκλεκτός “chosen” (Sap 4, 15).^[4] It became a title of the saints listed in the calendar, as in прѣподобьнаго отьца нашего “of our holy father”, and was used as a noun for a saint: прѣподобьнааго съмрьть “the death of the holy man” (Supr 51, 30).^[4] Of living clergy it means venerable or reverend, for ὁσιώτατος, as of a bishop (Supr 531, 26).^[4][2]

ESJS records the adverb прѣподобьнѣ, the negative непрѣподобьнъ “impious” and the nouns прѣподобиѥ and прѣподобьство “holiness”.^[3] The word lives on in Russian преподобный (prepodobnyj), Ukrainian преподобний (prepodobnyj) and Belarusian прападобны (prapadobny).^[1]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses прѣподобьнъ for ἅγιος and ὁσιότης.^[5]
• End of the 9th – 11th century – the early liturgical translations use it for ὅσιος, ἐκλεκτός and ὁσιομάρτυς.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. holy, righteous, just; for ὅσιος, ἐκλεκτός.^[4][2][1]
2. (ecclesiastical) Holy, a title of the saints; as a noun, a saint; for ὅσιος, ἅγιος.^[4][1]
3. (ecclesiastical) venerable, reverend; for ὁσιώτατος.^[4][1]

Word family

• прѣподобиѥ
• непрѣподобьнъ

Related words

• подобьнъ
• подоба
• подобати
• Russian преподобный (prepodobnyj)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Slovník nejstarších staroslověnských památek (digital ed., Gorazd, Slovanský ústav AV ČR, gorazd.org); cf. Cejtlin, R. M.; Večerka, R.; Blagova, É. (eds.) (1994), Staroslavjanskij slovar' (po rukopisjam X–XI vekov), Moskva: Russkij jazyk
3. ^ a b c d e f Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 668
4. ^ a b c d e f g Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
5. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de