angustus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aŋˈɡʊs.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aŋˈɡus.tus]^[1]

Forms

angustus (feminine angusta, neuter angustum, comparative angustior, superlative angustissimus); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *angosto- (“narrow”), from the s-stem noun seen in angor, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂emǵʰ-os-to- (“characterized by narrowness”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂emǵʰ- (“to tie, tighten”), the root of angō “to squeeze”.^[2][1] De Vaan notes that the s-stem must be old, since Germanic and Slavic have it too.^[2] Cognate with Sanskrit अंहु (aṃhú-, “narrow”), Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to squeeze, strangle”), Old High German angust (“fear”) and Russian у́зить (úzitʹ, “to make narrow”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan's first source is Plautus, whom Köbler dates c. 250–184 BC.^[2][3] The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of narrow space.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant narrow, confined, of space, and of objects narrow or thin, as in Caesar.^[4] In Tibullus it meant crowded; in Cicero scarce, restricted, and of credit tight; in Lucretius poor, humble.^[4] Cicero also used it for restricted, limited, petty or mean, and of situations pressing, difficult; in Virgil it meant short in time.^[4]

Döderlein distinguishes angustus and artus, which refer to the limits of a space, from dēnsus and spissus, which refer to things close together in it.^[5] In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant narrow, constricted, difficult.^[6] British Medieval Latin used it of cramped buildings and of the narrow way of Matthew 7:14.^[7] It survives in Romanian îngust and Spanish angosto.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of narrow space.^[2][4][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of limited means and petty minds.^[4][3]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a short time.^[4][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Narrow, confined, small.^[4]
2. Thin, tapering.^[4]
3. Crowded.^[4]
4. Scarce; poor.^[4]
5. Limited; short.^[4]
6. Mean, petty.^[4]
7. (of situations) Pressing, difficult.^[4]

Word family

• angustia
• angusticlāvius
• angustitas
• angustō
• angustum
• perangustus
• angustē
• angusti-
• coangustus

Related words

• angiportus
• angor
• angō
• English anguish

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ 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