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citus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word citus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Livius Andronicus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*(ḱ)ey(h₂)-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɪ.tʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃiː.tus][1]

Forms

citus (feminine cita, neuter citum, comparative citior, superlative citissimus, adverb citō or citē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is the participle of cieō “to set in motion”, from Proto-Italic *kito- (“stirred”), Proto-Indo-European *(ḱ)i(h₂)-to-, from the root Proto-Indo-European *(ḱ)ey(h₂)- (“to start to move”).[2][3][1] De Vaan notes that it needs a form without laryngeal, or was formed later on the present.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Livius Andronicus, whose companions came quickly to Circe's house.[2][3] Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant moving or acting quickly, swift, of people and animals, often as an adverb, and of events passing quickly, speedy, as Horace's swift death or glad victory.[3] Cicero speaks of a quick or slow voice, and Sallust of a hurried gait.[5] The adverb citō “quickly” was common.[2] Döderlein says citus and celer denote quick motion, opposed to tardus, while vēlōx and pernīx denote bodily nimbleness.[6]

Timeline

  • 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.[3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of a quick voice.[5][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of a hurried gait.[5][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace speaks of swift death.[3][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Swift, quick.[3]
  2. Speedy, quick to happen.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
Cite this entry

“Citus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/citus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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