Etymologically
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aptus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈap.tʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈap.tus][1]

Forms

aptus (feminine apta, neuter aptum, comparative aptior, superlative aptissimus, adverb aptē); first/second-declension participle[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle of apiō (“to fasten”) or apīscor (“to reach, obtain”).[2][1] De Vaan sees no reason to keep them apart: both go back to Proto-Italic *ap-(e)i- (“to get, seize”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₁p-i- (“to get, grab”), and the double meaning of the participle, “tied” and “obtained”, is then natural.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Ennius,[4] who has caelum … stellīs fulgentibus aptum, “the sky fitted with shining stars”, and a hound vinclīs … apta, “tied with leashes”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Aptus is first “tied, fastened” and “connected” (Cicero: causes all aptās inter sē, “linked together”), and “dependent on, following from” (ex sē aptus, “self-dependent”).[2][1] It is “fitted with”, “prepared, ready” (Caesar: omnia sibi esse ad bellum apta ac parāta, “all was ready and prepared for war”), and “in good order”.[2][1] Of persons it is “suited, able” for something, and of things “suitable, convenient, apt”.[2][1]

Church Latin glosses it “fitting, suitable, appropriate, right”.[5] In Medieval Latin it is also “capable” and “agreed, accepted”.[6] English apt (14th century) comes from it, directly or through Old French.[7]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius: caelum … stellīs fulgentibus aptum.[2][4]
  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius: restibus aptus, “tied with ropes”.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: aptās inter sē.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar: ad bellum apta ac parāta.[2][4]
  • mid-14th century – English apt.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Tied, fastened; connected.[2][1]
  2. Dependent (on).[2][1]
  3. Fitted or provided (with).[2]
  4. Prepared, ready; in good order.[2][1]
  5. Suited, able (for something).[2][6]
  6. suitable, fitting, apt, convenient.[2][1][5]
  7. (Medieval Latin) Agreed, accepted.[6]

Word family

  • ineptus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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 e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com