blandimentum

Forms

blandīmentum n (genitive blandīmentī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin blandior (“to flatter”) + -mentum.^[2][1][3] De Vaan lists it with blandior under blandus “flattering”, whose etymology he calls uncertain: Schrijver connects it with Greek and Irish words for soft, while Ernout and Meillet think of a flattering voice and a link with balbus.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^[4] in whom someone says he has been ruined by another's blandishments.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

It is coaxing behaviour, cajolery, flattery, usually in the plural;^[2][5] Lewis & Short note that it is frequent in Tacitus.^[2][5] Cicero says virtue will not be corrupted by threats or blandishments.^[5] It is also an inducement or favour: Livy has many favours given to the plebs by the senate.^[2] In the plural it is an allurement or delight: Cicero says nature herself has produced many delights for us.^[2] Grattius uses it of treats for a dog.^[2] Nonius notes that it is neuter.^[3] In medieval Latin it is also a favour or permission and a payment due for obtaining it.^[6] Church Latin glosses it allurement, flattery, fawning.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of ruinous blandishments.^[2][4][8]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of virtue and of the delights of nature.^[2][5][8]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of favours to the plebs.^[2][8]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it often.^[5][8]

Meanings

Noun

1. (usually plural) Coaxing, cajolery, blandishment, flattery.^[2][5][1][7]
2. An inducement, favour.^[2]
3. An allurement, charm, delight; a treat.^[2][1]
4. (Medieval Latin) A favour, permission; a payment for obtaining permission.^[6]

Related words

• blandior

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 Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de