autoritario

Forms

autoritario (feminine autoritaria, masculine plural autoritarios, feminine plural autoritarias)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Spanish autoridad + -ario.^[1] Corominas lists it, without a date, among the derivatives of autor and autoridad.^[2][3] The noun, first written Old Spanish auctoridad in Berceo, is from Latin auctōritās, from auctor (“creator, author; promoter”), which comes from augeō (“to increase, make progress”).^[2][3] French has a parallel formation, French autoritaire, from autorité and -aire.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word first appears in the 1884 edition of the Academy's dictionary, with two senses: based solely on authority, and a supporter of the principle of authority, also as a noun.^[4] Echegaray repeats these definitions in 1887.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The first record in a text of the Americas is from Mexico (1903), of a woman speaking in a serious and authoritarian manner.^[6] In 1910 Garzón noted an Argentine sense, someone who acts arbitrarily by abusing an authority he holds or claims, and the use for an arbitrary measure.^[7] By 2001 the Academy had dropped the word “solely” from the first definition and added the senses of a person inclined to authoritarianism and of a regime that exercises power without limits.^[8] The current dictionary adds a supporter of political authoritarianism and what is typical of an authoritarian person.^[9]

Timeline

• 1884 – first in the Academy's dictionary, “founded solely on authority”.^[4]
• 1903 – first record in the Americas, in Mexico.^[6]
• 1910 – Garzón records the Argentine sense “arbitrary, abusing authority”.^[7]
• 2001 – the Academy adds the sense of a régime that rules without limits.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Based on the principle of authority (autoridad).^[9]
2. Of a person, also as a noun: inclined to act in an authoritarian way, imposing his will: Tenía un jefe muy autoritario.^[9][10][1]
3. Of a person, also as a noun: a supporter of political authoritarianism (autoritarismo).^[9]
4. Typical of an authoritarian person: habló con voz autoritaria.^[9]
5. Of a régimen or political organisation: exercising power without limits.^[9][8]

Word family

• autoritarismo

Related words

• autoridad
• autor
• autorizar
• French autoritaire

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Corominas, Joan; Pascual, José A. (1980–1991), Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico, 6 vols., Madrid: Gredos, p. 1, 416
3. ^ a b Corominas, Joan (1973), Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua castellana, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. autor
4. ^ a b Real Academia Española (1884), Diccionario de la lengua castellana, 12th ed., Madrid: Imprenta de D. Gregorio Hernando (the first Academy edition with etymologies), p. 1115
5. ^ Echegaray, Eduardo de (1887–1889), Diccionario general etimológico de la lengua española, 5 vols., Madrid: José María Faquineto, p. 559
6. ^ a b Boyd-Bowman, Peter (2003), Léxico hispanoamericano 1493–1993, ed. Ray Harris-Northall and John J. Nitti, New York: Hispanic Seminary of Medieval Studies, p. s.v. autoritario
7. ^ a b Garzón, Tobías (1910), Diccionario argentino, Barcelona: Imprenta Elzeviriana de Borrás y Mestres, p. 41
8. ^ a b c Real Academia Española (2001), Diccionario de la lengua española, 22nd ed., Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, p. s.v. autoritario
9. ^ a b c d e f Real Academia Española; Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española (2014–), Diccionario de la lengua española, 23rd ed., online version 23.8, https://dle.rae.es, p. s.v. autoritario
10. ^ Moliner, María (2007), Diccionario de uso del español, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. autoritario