Utopia

Forms

Ūtopia f sg (genitive Ūtopiae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is a New Latin coinage of Thomas More,^[1][2] formed from Ancient Greek οὐ (ou, “not”) + τόπος (tópos, “place”) with the Latin suffix -ia,^[1][3] so literally “nowhere”.^[2] Etymonline notes that it is commonly but wrongly taken to contain εὖ (eû, “well”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is the name of the imaginary island in More's book, printed at Louvain in 1516, whose title speaks of the best state of a commonwealth and the new island of Utopia.^[4][1]

Semantic evolution

The name was used at once for More's book: in a letter of 1516 he writes to Erasmus that he expects “our Utopia” any day, and Giraldi praises it as a book on the happy state of a commonwealth.^[4] In British Latin it was also used for any ideal, imaginary country.^[3] Jakob Bidermann reused the name for the title of a book in 1640.^[4]

English took the word over in 1551, and by the 1610s used it of any perfect place.^[2]

Timeline

• 1516 – Thomas More's book on the new island of Utopia is printed at Louvain.^[4][1]
• 1516 – More writes to Erasmus that he expects “our Utopia” daily.^[4]
• 1551 – English borrows it as utopia.^[2]
• 1640 – Jakob Bidermann publishes a book titled Utopia.^[4]

Meanings

Proper noun

1. Utopia, the imaginary island in Thomas More's book, with a seemingly perfect social, legal and political order.^[3][1][5]
2. The title of More's book.^[4][5]
3. (transferred) Any ideal, imaginary country.^[3]

Related words

• English utopia

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d 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 c d e f g Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
5. ^ a b Victionarium (Latin Wiktionary), la.wiktionary.org