ac

Forms

ac ^[1]

Etymology

It is the shortened form of atque, used before consonants.^[2][3][4] The origin of the full form is disputed: de Vaan prefers from Latin at + -que, the OLD ⟨ad-⟩ + ⟨-que⟩.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Like atque, it is found from Livius Andronicus on.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin ac stands only before consonants, while atque is used before vowels and consonants alike.^[4] Döderlein adds that atque is preferred before vowels and gutturals and ac before the other consonants, and that both join near-synonyms.^[6] Its senses are those of atque: “and also, and indeed”, ac potius “or rather”, and after words of likeness or difference “as, than” (aliter ac).^[2][7]

In British Medieval Latin ac was no longer limited to consonants.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 280–200 BC – First found in Livius Andronicus.^[3][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ac potius for “or rather”.^[2][5]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. and, and also, and what is more.^[2][4]
2. And even;^[2] ac potius, or rather;^[2] ac nōn, and not rather.^[2]
3. (after words of likeness or difference) As, than: aliter ac, otherwise than.^[7][2]

Related words

• atque
• et
• -que

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ 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