angelicus

Forms

angelicus (feminine angelica, neuter angelicum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

Etymonline takes it as borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀγγελικός (angelikós, “of messengers; angelic”),^[2] and Lewis and Short, Georges and the medieval dictionaries give the Greek word as its equivalent.^[3][4][5][6] Wiktionary instead treats it as a Late Latin word formed from Latin angelus + -icus.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the sense “angelic” it is first found in Tertullian (c. 160–220 AD) and then in Jerome.^[7][8]

Semantic evolution

Grammarians kept the older Greek sense “of messengers”: Diomedes calls the dactylic measure angelicum metrum, because its speed suited messengers.^[3][4][7] In Christian writing it means “belonging to angels”: Prudentius calls the manna angelici panes, and the Vulgate speaks of a face like an angel's.^[3][4]

Medieval Latin used it of the angels and their song (the hymns Gloria and Sanctus), of things named after angels, and of people with an angelic nature or purity.^[5][6] Monastic life was called angelic: angelica vestis and angelicus habitus were the monk's habit.^[9] English angelic came from it through Old French in the early 14th century.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it in the sense “angelic”.^[7][8]
• 348/49–c. 413 AD – Prudentius calls the manna “angelic bread”.^[3][8]
• second half of the 4th century AD – Diomedes names the dactylic angelicum metrum.^[3][8]
• early 14th century – English borrows it, through Old French, as angelic.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of messengers: angelicum metrum, a dactylic measure suited to messengers.^[3][4][7]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Of or belonging to angels, angelic.^[3][10][9]
3. (Medieval Latin) Like an angel in nature or purity.^[5][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) Of a monk or nun: angelica vestis, the monastic habit.^[9]

Related words

• English angelic

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b c 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
7. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
9. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
10. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson