Etymologically
Log in

attentus

This is an old revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 13:51. It may differ significantly from the current version. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Current version Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

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

Forms

attentus (feminine attenta, neuter attentum, comparative attentior, superlative attentissimus, adverb attentē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is the perfect participle of attendō “to stretch towards, attend”, and is also spelled ⟨adtentus⟩; a homonymous participle belongs to attineō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaffiot's earliest citation is from Terence's Adelphoe, of attention to something.[4] Köbler's first source is Cicero; he dates Terence 190–159 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant of listeners attentive, heedful, as in Cicero, and of the mind intent, concentrated, and of persons careful, conscientious.[2] In Horace and others it meant frugal, economical, careful with money.[2] Caelius Aurelianus has a noun attentus, -ūs for a directed gaze.[4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant attentive.[6] English attent “attentive” came in the late 15th century, and English attentive through Old French atentif.[7]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of attentiveness.[4][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of listeners and of the mind.[2][5]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of frugality.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English attentive is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Attentive, heedful.[2]
  2. Intent; careful, conscientious.[2]
  3. Frugal, economical.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com