Etymologically
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comparativus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kɔm.pa.raːˈtiː.wʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [kom.pa.raˈtiː.vus][1]

Forms

comparātīvus (feminine comparātīva, neuter comparātīvum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin comparō2 (“to compare”) + -īvus, formed on the participle stem ⟨comparāt-⟩ of the verb.[2][3][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero uses it as a term of rhetoric in De inventione, of a defence that weighs the deed against another course of action, a comparātīva iūdicātiō.[2][5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

Quintilian keeps the rhetorical sense: a genus comparātīvum is a kind of case resting on comparison, opposed to a simple one, since better and worse can only be understood in relation to something else.[2][5] He also uses the neuter plural for words in the comparative degree,[2][5] and Gellius speaks of a neuter word in the comparative.[2][5]

Grammarians made it the standard term: gradus comparātīvus, or the masculine alone, is the comparative degree,[5][8][6] and casus comparātīvus a name for the ablative;[5][8][6] a medieval grammarian in Britain explains that the ablative is also called comparātīvus.[9] Medieval writers kept the grammatical noun,[10][9] and in Albertus Magnus it also means “comparable” and “relative”, opposed to “absolute”.[10]

It is the source of Italian comparativo.[11] English comparative came from it through Old French in the mid-15th century, at first as a grammatical term;[4] Old English had translated it as wiðmetendlic.[4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a rhetorical defence by comparison.[2][7]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian speaks of a kind of case based on comparison, and of comparatives.[2][5][7]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it of a neuter word in the comparative degree.[2][5][7]
  • c. 310–380 AD – Donatus uses it for the comparative degree.[5][7]
  • 6th century AD – Priscian uses casus comparātīvus for the ablative.[5][7]
  • first half of the 9th century – Erchanbert of Freising uses it as a noun, “the comparative”.[10][7]
  • mid-15th century – English comparative is borrowed through Old French.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (rhetoric) Based on comparing the merits of two or more actions; comparative.[2][5][8]
  2. (grammar) In the comparative degree;[2][5][8][6] gradus comparātīvus, the comparative degree.[2][5][8][6]
  3. (grammar) casus comparātīvus, the ablative case.[5][8][9]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Comparable; relative, not absolute.[10]

Noun

  1. (grammar) The comparative degree; in the neuter plural, words in the comparative.[2][5][3][10]

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  9. ^ a b c 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
  10. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  11. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier