aequivaleo

Pronunciation

• Classical: [ae̯.kʷɪˈwa.ɫe.oː]^[1]
• Ecclesiastical: [e.kʷiˈvaː.le.o]^[1]

Forms

aequivaleō (present infinitive aequivalēre, perfect active aequivaluī, supine aequivalitum); second conjugation, no passive^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin aequus (“equal”) + valeō (“to be strong, be worth”).^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short know it only from a late poem on the nightingale, the Carmen de Philomela, in the sense “to have equal power”.^[2][4] Its dated medieval examples begin in the 13th century, in a charter of Strasbourg of 1248 that speaks of revenues equal in value to a pension.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Medieval Latin used it widely in law for land or money of equal value, in music theory for notes and intervals that correspond, and in logic for propositions that mean the same.^[5][6] Its participle aequivalēns gave a noun for the equivalent itself, something of the same value.^[5] Neo-Latin writers kept it: Martin Luther wrote that a cross set up with papal arms was equal to the cross of Christ.^[7]

From the participle came English equivalent in the early 15th century,^[3] and Romance has French équivaloir, Italian equivalere and Spanish equivaler.^[1]

Timeline

• 1248 – A Strasbourg charter uses it of revenues equal to a pension.^[5]
• 13th century – Music theory uses it of corresponding notes.^[6]
• early 15th century – English equivalent is formed from its participle.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To have equal power; to be equivalent.^[2][4][8]
2. (Medieval Latin) To be of equal value (of land, money, rents).^[5][9]
3. (Medieval Latin) To correspond (in music, of notes and intervals; in logic, of propositions).^[5][6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d e f Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b c Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
7. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE