Etymologically
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augustus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word augustus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*h₂eug-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin augustus
English august

Pronunciation

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

Forms

augustus (feminine augusta, neuter augustum, comparative augustior, superlative augustissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is a derivative of augeō “to increase”, built with *-to- on an s-stem noun *aug-os “increase”, also seen in augur.[2][3] Wiktionary gives Proto-Italic *augostos (“amplified, increased”).[1] The verb is from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eug- (“to grow”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Ennius onwards.[2] Ennius has the phrase “by august augury”.[3]

Semantic evolution

It belonged first to the language of religion, solemn and venerable, as Cicero's “august place” and “august mysteries”.[3][4] Of persons it meant worthy of honour, and of appearance majestic, as Virgil's majestic walls of the king and Livy's most august robes.[3]

It became the title of Octavius Caesar after he took supreme power, and then of all the emperors.[3][4] Isidore says the name was given because they enlarged (augerent) the state.[5] The month Sextilis was renamed mensis Augustus after him, and the Romance words for August continue it.[3][6] English august “venerable” was borrowed in the 1660s.[7]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of an augury.[3][8]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of holy places and mysteries.[3][8]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of majestic walls.[3][8]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid dates the title Augustus.[4][8]
  • 1660s – English august is borrowed.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (religion) Solemn, venerable, holy.[3][1]
  2. Worthy of honour, august.[3][1]
  3. Majestic, dignified.[3][1]
  4. (capitalized) Of the emperor, imperial, mensis Augustus, the month of August.[3]

Noun

  1. (capitalized) Augustus, title of Octavius Caesar and the emperors after him.[3][1]

Word family

  • augustō
  • Augusta
  • augustālis
  • augustēum
  • augustēus
  • augeo
  • English august
  • English August

Usage notes

Lewis & Short note that Cicero mostly pairs it with sanctus.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  6. ^ Buchi, Éva; Schweickard, Wolfgang, eds. (2008–), Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom), Nancy: ATILF, http://www.atilf.fr/DERom
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Augustus.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/augustus. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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