Etymologically
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Forms

ambiguē (comparative ambiguius, superlative ambiguissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ambiguus (“doubtful, ambiguous”) + -ē, the adverb of the adjective,[2][3][4] which comes from ambigō (“to dispute; to be in doubt”).[5][4] De Vaan lists both among the derivatives of agō (“to drive, do”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Cicero,[4] who writes that many things are said ambiguously;[7][8] the Rhetorica ad Herennium also has nec esse ambigue scriptum, “and that it is not written ambiguously”.[7][8]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is of words with a double or doubtful meaning, used by Cicero, Horace and Livy.[7][2] Livy and Tacitus use it of fighting with an uncertain outcome, and Livy's haud ambigue means “unmistakably”.[7][3] Tacitus also uses it of legions acting in an unreliable way.[7][8] Later Aurelius Victor writes of answering ambiguously, and Hilary of Poitiers of things said ambiguously in Hebrew.[2][9] Medieval writers in Britain use it of arguing ambiguously in logic.[10]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of things said ambiguously.[7][4]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy has nec ambiguē est victus, of a clear defeat.[7][2][4]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of fighting with an uncertain outcome.[7][2][4]
  • c. 315–367/368 AD – Hilary of Poitiers uses it of the Hebrew text.[9][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Ambiguously, with a doubtful meaning, equivocally.[7][2][3]
  2. With a doubtful outcome, indecisively;[7][3] haud ambiguē, unmistakably.[7][3]
  3. In an unreliable or wavering way.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  8. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  9. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  10. ^ 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