antagonista

Forms

antagōnista m (genitive antagōnistae); first declension^[1][2] Neo-Latin also has the Greek form antagōnistēs.^[3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνιστής (antagōnistḗs, “opponent, rival”),^[1][4][5] the agent noun of ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai, “to contend against”), from ἀντί (antí, “against”) and ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai, “to contend for a prize”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its only ancient author is Jerome (c. 383–419/420 AD), in his life of Hilarion, meaning an adversary.^[1][6][4]

Semantic evolution

The glossaries explain it with Latin words for a challenger or provoker,^[7] and the Corpus Glossary has it beside recertator.^[8] Medieval writers used it for an opponent, including an adversary in a duel.^[9][8]

Humanists revived it: Erasmus writes of people who seek an opponent to win fame by rivalry, and says that Thomas More wanted him as an opponent when they both answered Lucian's Tyrannicida.^[3] English antagonist came in the 1590s from it or from French antagoniste.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it in his life of Hilarion.^[1][4]
• 1590s – English borrows it, directly or through French, as antagonist.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. An adversary, opponent, antagonist.^[1][6][9][3]

Related words

• English antagonist

References

1. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
2. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b 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
9. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften