Iovialis

Forms

Ioviālis (neuter Ioviāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from ⟨Iove-⟩, the oblique stem of Iuppiter, with the suffix -ālis.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Arnobius, who uses it in the sense “of Jupiter”.^[2][3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Macrobius calls the planet Jupiter stella Iovialis in his commentary on Scipio's dream.^[3][6][4] Medieval British writers used it for things belonging to Jove and for the planet, and also of the Alps.^[7]

English jovial came from it, through French and Italian, first meaning “under the influence of the planet Jupiter”; the sense “merry” comes from the belief that people born under that planet are cheerful.^[8]

Timeline

• 297–310 AD – Arnobius uses it for “of Jupiter”.^[2][3]
• first half of the 5th century AD – Macrobius calls the planet Jupiter stella Iovialis.^[3][2]
• 1580s – English borrows jovial in the astrological sense.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or belonging to Jupiter.^[3][6]
2. stella Iovialis: the planet Jupiter.^[3][6][4]
3. (Medieval Latin) Of the Alps.^[7]

Related words

• English jovial

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com