aspectus

Pronunciation

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

Forms

aspectus m (genitive aspectūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from aspiciō “to look at” with the suffix of action nouns -tus, and is also spelled ⟨adspectus⟩.^[2][1][3] Accius has an old genitive ⟨aspectī⟩.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Ennius, whom he dates 204–169 BC.^[4] The OLD's earliest citations include Plautus, of the sight of something, and Cato, of appearance.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant the act of looking, sight, as Cicero's ūnō aspectū “at a single glance”, and the sight of something, as in Plautus.^[2][5] It meant the faculty of sight, the range of vision, a direction, and the gaze, the eyes, and in Pacuvius the look or expression of the face.^[2] From Cato it meant visible form, appearance, aspect, and in Tacitus proper appearances and a sight.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant countenance, vision, sight, appearance, aspect, look.^[6] Medieval Latin used it of a look, and British Medieval Latin also of a legal view.^[7][8] English aspect came in the late 14th century, first in astrology of the planets' relative positions.^[9]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius has the word.^[4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the sight of something.^[2][4]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of appearance.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English aspect is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A look, glance, ūnō aspectū, at a glance.^[2]
2. Sight, vision; range of view.^[2]
3. The gaze; an expression, mien.^[2]
4. Appearance, aspect.^[2]
5. A sight.^[2]

Related words

• aspectābilis
• aspectāmen
• aspectiō
• aspectō
• aspiciō
• speciō
• English aspect

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ 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. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
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