Gnosticus

Forms

gnōsticus (feminine gnōstica, neuter gnōsticum); first/second-declension adjective^[1][2] The dictionaries print it in lower case.^[1][2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek γνωστικός (gnōstikós, “able to discern; a Gnostic”),^[2][4] from γνωστός (gnōstós, “known”), from γιγνώσκω (gignṓskō, “to come to know”),^[4] from Proto-Indo-European *gno- (“to know”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jerome (c. 383–419/420 AD) has it as an adjective, of the Gnostic heresy, in his book on famous men.^[1][2]

Semantic evolution

As a noun it named a follower of the Gnostic sects, in Augustine.^[2] In Medieval Latin it kept its Greek sense of knowing: the MLW records it for what concerns knowledge or cognition, and of people for “understanding”, from Heiric of Auxerre and Albert the Great on.^[5] Niermeyer and Du Cange give “learned, skilled”,^[3][6] and in English charters of the 10th century the gnostici of the land are its wise men.^[7] English Gnostic was taken from the Late Latin noun in the 1580s.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome speaks of the Gnostic heresy.^[1][2]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it as a noun for a Gnostic.^[2]
• 957 – An English charter uses the plural as a noun for the wise men of the country.^[7]
• 13th century – Albert the Great uses it of knowing and cognition.^[5][2]
• 1580s – English borrows Gnostic.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Gnostic, of the Gnostics.^[1][2][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) Relating to knowledge, cognitive; of people, understanding.^[5]
3. (Medieval Latin) Learned, skilled.^[3][6][8]

Noun

1. A Gnostic.^[2][4]
2. (Medieval Latin) A wise man, sage.^[7]

Word family

• gnostice

Related words

• gnomon
• English gnostic

References

1. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
7. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
8. ^ Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences