belle

Forms

bellē (comparative bellius, superlative bellissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin bellus (“pretty, fine”) + -ē.^[2][1][3] De Vaan explains bellus as a diminutive of bonus (“good”), from *duenelos through *duellos, which is why it was first used of women and children; he traces that adjective to Proto-Italic *dweno- (“good”), with a tentative Indo-European *duh₂-eno-.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Plautus,^[3] who in the Truculentus speaks of cheeks so prettily rouged.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is in an agreeable way, nicely, and with a moral sense: Cicero asks Atticus to tell Brutus that he has not behaved nicely.^[2] ⟨Bellē esse⟩ is to have a pleasant time, as on Cicero's estates.^[2] It also means satisfactorily, suitably, and fortunately, as of something that turned out well.^[2] With ⟨sē habēre⟩ it is to be in good health: Cicero writes that he was not well.^[2][5] The TLL collects this phrase from Cicero's letters and the Bellum Hispaniense.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of prettily rouged cheeks.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of good conduct, of a pleasant stay and of good health.^[2][5][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In an agreeable way, nicely, prettily;^[2][1] bellē esse, to have a pleasant time.^[2][1]
2. Satisfactorily, suitably, well.^[2][1]
3. Fortunately, favourably.^[2]
4. (sē) bellē habēre, to be in good health;^[2][5] bellē est, all is well.^[2][5]

Word family

• perbellē

Related words

• bellus
• bonus

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 m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften