Platonicus

Forms

Platōnicus (feminine Platōnica, neuter Platōnicum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin Platō (“Plato”) + -icus,^[1] corresponding to Ancient Greek Πλατωνικός (Platōnikós), from which Köbler and the DMLBS derive it.^[1][2][3] The philosopher's name is Πλάτων (Plátōn).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest instance the dictionaries give is in the Commentariolum petitionis ascribed to Quintus Cicero, where a Platonicus homo is a profound thinker.^[5][6] Cicero speaks of the Platonici, the followers of Plato.^[6][5]

Semantic evolution

Its main sense was “of Plato or his philosophy”; as a masculine noun it meant a follower of Plato, and the neuter plural meant Plato's teachings.^[7][6] Augustine used Platonici of the Neoplatonists and Platonica of Plato's doctrines.^[6]

Medieval British writers used it in the same senses, from Alcuin on.^[3] Lorenzo Valla discussed it beside the rival formations Platonius and Platonianus.^[8] English took it over as platonic in the 1530s.^[9]

Timeline

• 102–43 BC – The Commentariolum petitionis of Quintus Cicero calls a deep thinker a Platonicus homo.^[5][6][2]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of the Platonists.^[6][5][2]
• 4 BC–AD 65 – Seneca uses it of Plato's ideas.^[6][5][2]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine applies Platonici to the Neoplatonists.^[6][2]
• 801 – Alcuin quotes a Platonic saying that kingdoms are happy when philosophers rule.^[3]
• 1530s – English borrows it as platonic.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of Plato or his philosophy, Platonic.^[7][4][6][3]
2. (of a person) Profound, given to deep thought.^[6]

Noun

1. (masculine) A follower of Plato, a Platonist.^[7][6][3]
2. (neuter plural) The teachings of Plato.^[7][6]

Related words

• English platonic

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e 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
4. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com