Etymologically
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ardor

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈaːr.dɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈar.dor][1]

Forms

ārdor m (genitive ārdōris); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ārdeō (“to burn”) + -or.[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus, and the OLD's earliest citations are Accius, of fire, flashes of light and heat.[4][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC and Accius 170–c. 90 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a burning, fire, as in Cicero's house whose blaze threatened the city; a flash or gleam of light; fierce heat, as of the sun in Lucretius; and figuratively agitation of mind, passion, eagerness, ardour, as in Cicero; passionate love, as in Lucretius; and intensity, violence.[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means burning.[7] British Medieval Latin used it for fire, heat, passion and ferocity.[8] English ardour (mid-15th century) is from it through Old French, and French ardeur is inherited from it.[9][1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[4]
  • 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it of fire and heat.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of passion and eagerness.[2][4]
  • mid-15th century – English ardour is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A fire, burning.[2][5]
  2. A gleam of light, flash.[2]
  3. Fierce heat.[2]
  4. Passion, agitation of mind.[2]
  5. Eagerness, ardour.[2]
  6. Passionate love.[2]
  7. Intensity, violence.[2]

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 l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com