clarificus

Forms

clārificus (feminine clārifica, neuter clārificum); first/second-declension adjective^[1][2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin clārus (“clear, bright”) + faciō (“to make”), formed like magnificus.^[4][1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first author is Paulinus of Nola, who writes in a letter of clearing the light of truth of clouds by the splendour of clārificus speech.^[4][1][3]

Semantic evolution

Paulinus also has it of light that brightens, in a letter preserved among Augustine's.^[1][2] Sedulius gives Mary a name that is ever glorious, clārificō … nōmine,^[4][1] and a sermon falsely ascribed to Augustine says that the appearance of the risen will be clārifica for the just and fearful for sinners.^[4]

In Medieval Latin it meant shining, radiant, and figuratively glorious, splendid or bringing enlightenment;^[5][6][7] Aldhelm uses it of the light of the sun, of the signs by which pagans might come to believe, and of the glorious life of Antony.^[7][5] Lios Monocus, whom Köbler places in the 9th century, uses it as a noun for one who brings the light of truth.^[5][3] Etymonline takes the verb clārificō from it.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 353–431 AD – Paulinus of Nola writes of clārificus speech.^[4][3]
• 1st half of the 5th century AD – Sedulius calls the name of Mary glorious.^[4][1][3]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it of sunlight and of the life of Antony.^[7][5][3]
• 9th century – Lios Monocus uses it as a noun.^[5][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Bright, shining, giving light.^[4][1][5]
2. (Late Latin) Clear, lucid (of speech).^[4][2][9]
3. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin) Glorious, splendid.^[1][2][6][7]
4. (Medieval Latin) Bringing enlightenment.^[7][5]

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) One who brings the light of truth.^[5][3]

Word family

• clārificō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
2. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier