alacer

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈa.ɫa.kɛr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.la.t͡ʃer]^[1]

Forms

alacer (feminine alacris, neuter alacre, comparative magis alacer or alacrior, superlative maximē alacer or summē alacer or alacerrimus or alacrissimus, adverb alacriter); third-declension three-termination adjective^[1] The masculine is also alacris, in Ennius, Terence and Virgil.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.^[1] De Vaan considers a derivative of the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂elh₂- (“to wander”) of ambulō “to walk about”, but notes that the meanings do not demand it and the suffix would be rare.^[2] Wiktionary takes alacris from an older *alaklis by dissimilation.^[1] Georges compared Ancient Greek ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, “to drive”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It was lively, nimble or brisk, as Ennius' band of youths leaping in Bacchic fashion, and eager, keen or cheerful.^[3] Terence asks whether someone is sad or cheerful (alacris), and Cicero describes Catiline as lively and glad.^[3][7]

In medieval Latin it was cheerful, lively, eager, brave and swift.^[8] It survives as Italian alacre, French allègre and Spanish alegre.^[1] English alacrity comes from alacritās, and the musical term allegro from Italian.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][6]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses alacris of dancing youths.^[3][6]
• mid-15th century – English alacrity is recorded, from alacritās.^[9]
• 1721 – English allegro is recorded as a musical term.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Lively, brisk, nimble, active.^[3][4]
2. Eager, keen; cheerful.^[3][7]

Word family

• alacritās
• alacriter

Related words

• English alacrity
• English allegro

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com