agilitas

Forms

agilitās f (genitive agilitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin agilis (“nimble, quick”) + -tās.^[2][1] The TLL suggests that Cicero, who does not use the adjective, may have coined it.^[3] De Vaan lists that adjective among the derivatives of agō (“to drive, do”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *ag-e/o- (“to do, act”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-e/o- (“to drive, lead”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first known use is in a letter of Cicero to Atticus, where it describes a nimble, pliant nature, which he says usually goes with goodness.^[2][5][6]

Semantic evolution

Livy uses it of the ease of movement of ships and of the limbs,^[2][5] Curtius of wheels, and Seneca of the parts of an animal's body;^[2] Pliny the Elder mentions a trainer in agility.^[2] Of the mind, beside Cicero, Valerius Maximus has it for quickness of wit.^[2] Quintilian uses it of the nimbleness of a rhythm.^[3]

Through Old French agilité it gave English agility in the early 15th century.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a nimble, pliant nature.^[2][5][6]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of the agility of ships and limbs.^[2][5][6]
• 1st century AD – Curtius uses it of wheels.^[2][5][6]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a nimble rhythm.^[3][6]
• early 15th century – English borrows it through Old French as agility.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. Ease of movement, agility, nimbleness.^[2][5]
2. (of mind or character) Quickness, pliancy.^[2][5]

Related words

• agilis
• agō
• English agility

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
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 d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com