Etymologically
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absurdus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [apˈsʊr.dʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [abˈsur.dus][1]

Forms

absurdus (feminine absurda, neuter absurdum, comparative absurdior, superlative absurdissimus, adverb absurdē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ab- + surdus (“deaf; not heard”).[2][3] De Vaan explains it as “unheard of”, since ⟨surdus⟩ can mean both “not hearing” and “not heard”; the derivation of the adjective from Proto-Indo-European *suer- (“to sound”), proposed by Walde and Hofmann, leaves the meaning unexplained.[4] Wiktionary takes it as a blend of absonus (“discordant”) and ⟨surdus⟩,[1] and Etymonline suggests the prefix may be intensive.[3] The TLL compares susurrus (“whisper”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Terence,[6] who calls a plan silly and absurd.[2]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense is out of tune, discordant, as in Cicero's soft, womanish voice “out of measure, discordant and absurd”.[2][7] Of persons it is awkward or uncouth, without talent for something, and in general preposterous, ridiculous or absurd.[2][7] In litotes it means not out of place: Sallust's “to speak well for the state is not absurd either”.[2] English took absurd through French in the 1550s, in the sense plainly illogical.[3]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence of an absurd plan.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a discordant voice and an awkward man.[2][6]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust in litotes.[2][6]
  • 1550s – English absurd through French.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Out of tune, discordant, harsh.[2][7][1]
  2. Of persons, awkward, uncouth.[2]
  3. Preposterous, ridiculous, absurd, senseless.[2][7][1]
  4. haud absurdus, not out of place, appropriate.[2]

Word family

  • absurditās
  • perabsurdus
  • subabsurdus
  • absurdē

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press