Etymologically
Log in

celeriter

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word celeriter

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*kel-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin celer
Latin celeriter
Latin celeritas

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kɛˈɫɛ.rɪ.tɛr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [t͡ʃeˈlɛː.ri.ter][1]

Forms

celeriter (comparative celerius, superlative celerrimē)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin celer (“swift”) + -ter.[2][1] De Vaan traces celer to Proto-Italic *keli- and Proto-Indo-European *kel-i- (“speeding”), cognate with Ancient Greek κέλομαι (kélomai, “to urge on”) and Ancient Greek κέλης (kélēs, “racehorse”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL and the OLD find it from Plautus on,[4][2] who has iūsta causa est cūr currātur celeriter, “there is good reason to run fast”.[2] Köbler first records it in Cicero.[5]

Semantic evolution

Celeriter is “quickly, swiftly”, of movement (Caesar of enemies attacking suddenly and quickly) and of actions and processes (Cicero: a man who grasps things quickly).[2][6][1] It is also “in a short time” and “soon, early” (Plautus: celeriter mī hōc homine conventō est opus, “I must see this man at once”).[2][1] The comparative is celerius and the superlative celerrimē.[2][1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: cūr currātur celeriter.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: celeriter animō comprehendentī.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar of a sudden, swift attack.[2][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. quickly, swiftly.[2][6][1]
  2. In a short time.[2]
  3. Soon, early, at once.[2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Celeriter.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/celeriter. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·