adiectivum

Forms

adiectīvum n (genitive adiectīvī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin adiectīvus (“added”), used as a noun in the neuter.^[2][1] Wiktionary explains it as an ellipsis of a phrase with nōmen (“noun”), “additional noun”, which calques Ancient Greek ὄνομα ἐπίθετον (ónoma epítheton).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in the grammar of Donatus,^[3][4] for the adjective as opposed to the substantive, positivum.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It is common in the Latin grammarians:^[3] Priscian defines the adjective as what is added to proper or common nouns,^[3] and Isidore of Seville says that what the Greeks call epithets are called adiectiva or superposita in Latin.^[3]

English adjective comes from it, through Old French.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 310–380 AD – Donatus uses it for the adjective.^[3][4]
• 6th century AD – Priscian defines it.^[3][4]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville equates it with the Greek epithet.^[3][4]
• late 14th century – English adjective appears, from this word through Old French.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (grammar) An adjective.^[2][3][1]

Related words

• adiectīvus
• adiciō
• English adjective

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com