actuosus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aːk.tuˈoː.sʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ak.tuˈɔː.s̬us]^[1]

Forms

āctuōsus (feminine āctuōsa, neuter āctuōsum, adverb āctuōsē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin āctus (“impulse, motion, act”) + -ōsus, like ⟨flexuōsus⟩ and ⟨quaestuōsus⟩.^[2][1] ⟨āctus⟩ is from agō (“to do, drive”).^[1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨agō⟩ to Proto-Italic *ag-e/o- (“to do, act”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-e/o- (“to drive, lead”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Cicero, āctuōsa virtūs “active virtue”.^[3][5] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant marked by or full of activity, energetic, busy, as in Cicero, and Lewis & Short note the added idea of zeal and inner impulse, distinguishing it from industrius.^[2][6][5]

British Medieval Latin used it for practical, of the active way of life.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[5][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Full of activity, energetic, busy.^[2]

Word family

• inactuosus

Related words

• āctus
• agō
• āctīvus

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ 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