applausus

Forms

applausus m (genitive applausūs); fourth declension^[1] Also spelled adplausus.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin applaudō (“to strike against, applaud”) + -tus, a fourth-declension noun of action.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first author is Statius, who uses it of the Sphinx rising terribilī adplausū, “with a terrible beating of wings”.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

Firmicus Maternus is the first to use it of clapping in approval, applause.^[5][6]

Medieval Latin used it of rustling, of the beat of wings, and above all of acclamation and approval, so that a document could be issued “with the consent and applause” of everyone present;^[7][8] it also came to mean favour, and pomp or display.^[7] In Hungary it was the acclamation at a king's election.^[9] English applause, first “commendation, praise”, was taken from it in the early 15th century,^[10] and Italian applauso and Spanish aplauso come from it.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of the beating of the Sphinx's wings.^[4][2][3]
• 343/350 AD – Firmicus Maternus uses it of applause.^[5][3]
• 1271 – A Salisbury charter is issued with the consent and applause of those present.^[8]
• early 15th century – English borrows applause.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. A flapping or beating (of wings); a noisy striking.^[2][5][6]
2. (Late Latin) Clapping, applause.^[5][6][1]
3. (Medieval Latin) Acclamation, approval; favour; pomp, display.^[7][8][9]

Related words

• English applause

Usage notes

applausus, -a, -um is also the perfect participle of applaudō, “struck, clapped”, and applōsus is a variant spelling.^[11][6][1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press