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appositus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word appositus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Lucilius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Italic (*po-sine/o-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [apˈpɔ.sɪ.tʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [apˈpɔː.s̬i.tus][1]

Forms

appositus (feminine apposita, neuter appositum, comparative appositior, superlative appositissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is the perfect participle of appōnō “to place near”, from ad- and pōnō (“to put”).[2][1] De Vaan explains ⟨pōnō⟩ from ⟨*po-sinō⟩ “to put down”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucilius, of what lies near.[2] Köbler dates Lucilius c. 180–102 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant situated near or opposite, adjacent, as in Curtius' regiō urbī apposita; suitable, apt, fit, as in Varro and Cicero; of persons inclined towards; and of an argument, based on comparisons, as in Quintilian.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant appropriate, suitable, fit.[6] It survives as Italian apposito and apposto and Spanish apuesto.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of suitability.[2][4]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of arguments.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Situated near, adjacent.[2]
  2. Suitable, apt.[2]
  3. (of persons) Inclined towards.[2]
  4. (of an argument) Based on comparisons.[2]

Word family

  • perappositus

Usage notes

A separate fourth-declension noun appositus, found only in the ablative in post-Augustan prose, is a medical term, the application of a remedy, as in Pliny.[2][7][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Appositus.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/appositus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·