absolutus

Forms

absolūtus (feminine absolūta, neuter absolūtum, comparative absolūtior, superlative absolūtissimus); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle of absolvō (“to release; to complete”), used as an adjective.^[1][2][3] absolvō is from ab- and solvō (“to loosen”), which de Vaan explains as a compound of sē- (“away”) and ⟨-luō⟩ "to loosen".^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest quotation is from Varro's Menippean Satires: a dinner is complete only when it has all four of its parts.^[1][3] Köbler dates it from Cicero.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It is complete, perfect, and as praise accomplished: Pliny the Elder writes of a hero painted in a most finished work.^[1] ⟨annus absolūtus⟩ is the great year.^[1] Pliny also calls gold pure, and the Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of an argument complete in itself.^[1] In the jurists it is unconditional, as an outright gift is distinguished from a gift in prospect of death.^[1] Quintilian uses it of the positive degree in grammar and of a free, fluent mouth.^[1] Church Latin glosses it perfect, complete, absolute.^[5] In medieval Latin an absolūtus estate is one in the owner's own hands, not leased out.^[6]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro of a complete dinner.^[1][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of a finished painting and pure gold.^[1][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian of the positive degree.^[1][3]
• 1st half of 3rd century AD – Paul of an unconditional gift.^[1][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Complete, finished, perfect; accomplished;^[1][5] annus absolūtus, the great year.^[1][5]
2. Of substances, pure; of an argument, complete in itself.^[1]
3. Unqualified, unconditional; unambiguous; absolute.^[1][5]
4. (grammar) In the positive degree.^[1]
5. Of speech, free, fluent.^[1]
6. (Medieval Latin) Of an estate, in the owner's own hands.^[6]

Related words

• absolvō
• absolūtē
• absolūtiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill