Etymologically
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avide

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Forms

avidē (comparative avidius, superlative avidissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from avidus “eager, greedy” with the adverb suffix -ē.[2][1] ⟨Avidus⟩ is from aveō “to desire”, which de Vaan traces to Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-eh₁- (“to enjoy, consume”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of eagerness.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant eagerly, impatiently, as in Ennius, and greedily, hungrily, as in Horace.[2] The comparative avidius is in Sallust and Livy and the superlative avidissimē in Cicero.[5]

British Medieval Latin used it for greedily, eagerly, as of a horse snatching hay in the Life of Cuthbert.[6]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.[2][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of hunger.[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Eagerly, impatiently.[2]
  2. Greedily, hungrily.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 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. ^ 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