Etymologically
Log in

adversarius

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 20:50. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ad.wɛrˈsaː.ri.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ad.verˈsaː.ri.us][1]

Forms

adversārius m (genitive adversāriī or adversārī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin adversus (“turned towards, opposite”) + -ārius.[2][1] Adversus is the participle of advertō “to turn towards”.[1] An inscription of about 123 BC has the spellings advorsārius and arvorsārius.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ennius, in a tragic fragment, speaks of standing bravely against adversaries, and Plautus uses it in the same sense.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

As a noun it meant a personal opponent, an enemy in war, the opposing party in a lawsuit, and an opponent of a policy.[2] Döderlein notes that it was the general word for any opponent, in war, politics or court, while hostis was the enemy in war.[5] As an adjective it meant hostile or harmful.[2] The neuter plural adversaria was a merchant's daybook, contrasted by Cicero with the permanent account books.[6][7]

In Christian Latin adversarius became a name of the devil, the adversary of the human race, from Tertullian and Augustine on.[3][8] English adversary came from Anglo-French and Old French or directly from Latin in the mid-14th century, at first especially of Satan.[9]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of opponents.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a stronger adversary.[2][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of the opposing party in a lawsuit.[2][4]
  • c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of the devil.[3][4]
  • mid-14th century – English adversary is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. hostile, opposed.[2][1]
  2. (of things) Harmful, prejudicial; of the opposing party.[2]

Noun

  1. An opponent, antagonist.[2][1]
  2. An enemy in war.[2][1]
  3. (law) The opposing party.[2]
  4. An opponent of a cause or policy.[2]
  5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) The devil.[3][8]

Usage notes

Adversaria (neuter plural) was a merchant's daybook of rough entries, as opposed to the tabulae or ledger.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com