Etymologically
Log in

candidus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word candidus

History
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin candidus
English candidate

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkan.dɪ.dʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkan.di.dus][1]

Forms

candidus (feminine candida, neuter candidum, comparative candidior, superlative candidissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from candēre “to shine” with the suffix -idus.[2][1][3] Its root is also that of English candle and English incense.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Ennius onwards,[4] who writes that “bright torches shine”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was bright or radiant, of light, stars and the sun, and Lewis and Short note that it meant a shining white, as opposed to albus, a dull white.[2][5] It meant white in colour, of snow, stone and the stork, and white in contrast with darker kinds.[2] A white garment marked festivity, and a white toga was worn by candidates for office, whence candidatus.[2][6] It described white hair, pure animals for sacrifice, and lucky days marked with a white stone.[2]

Of people it meant fair-skinned and beautiful, and of gods radiant.[2] Figuratively it meant happy or fortunate, good-natured, as in Ovid's candide lector “kind reader”, morally pure, and of style clear and lucid, as of Herodotus.[2][7] English borrowed it in the 1620s as English candid, first meaning “white, bright”, and later “frank”.[3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of bright torches.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato asks for stone as white as possible.[2][4]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus speaks of bright days and a day marked with a whiter stone.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil calls Dido candida.[2][4]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian calls Herodotus candidus.[2][4]
  • 1620s – English borrows it as English candid.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Bright, radiant, clear.[2][5]
  2. White; light-coloured, (of fruit) green.[2]
  3. Dressed in white, (of hair) white with age.[2]
  4. Fair-skinned, beautiful, (of gods) radiant.[2]
  5. (of minerals or liquids) Clear, transparent.[2]
  6. Lucky, happy; cheerful.[2]
  7. Kindly, good-natured; morally pure.[2]
  8. (of style) Clear, lucid, (of the voice) clear.[2]

Word family

  • candidārius
  • candidātus
  • candidō
  • candidulus
  • candidum
  • percandidus
  • subcandidus

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 n o p q r s t u Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Candidus.” Etymologically, 10 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/candidus. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on .