affectionatus

Forms

affectiōnātus (feminine affectiōnāta, neuter affectiōnātum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is a medieval formation from Latin affectiō (“disposition, affection”) + -ātus.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS's first example, from about 1350, is from the Chronicle of Wigmore: a benefactor so well disposed to the monastery that he sent it gifts.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

In British medieval Latin it meant inclined or disposed, mostly in a good sense, but in the legal Praxis a witness described this way is one biased towards a party.^[3] Polish documents use it for friendly or benevolent, of persons and of minds.^[2]

In Neo-Latin it kept both uses: male affectionati in fide in the Letters of Obscure Men are people ill disposed in matters of faith, while affectionatissimus closes a letter of 1640 as a friendly signature.^[5] English affectionate is not borrowed from it: Etymonline derives it from affection, suggested by French affectionné.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 1350 – The Chronicle of Wigmore uses it of a man devoted to the monastery.^[3][4]
• 1407 – Thomas Bekynton's correspondence has aliter affectionati, “otherwise disposed”.^[3]
• 1505 – A Polish source has it in the sense “friendly”.^[2]
• 1585 – A papal nuncio's report speaks of a city council once badly disposed.^[5]
• 1640 – Johann Heinrich Nothafft signs a letter to Hugo Grotius affectionatissimus.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) Inclined, disposed (towards someone or something), often with an adverb such as male “ill”.^[3][5]
2. (Medieval Latin) Well disposed, friendly, devoted.^[3][2][5]
3. (Medieval Latin, law) Of a witness: partial, biased.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
3. ^ a b c d e f g 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
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
6. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com