concors

Forms

concors (genitive concordis, superlative concordissimus); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1] An older nominative concordis is found in Caecilius.^[2][3] The ablative is usually concordī.^[3]

Etymology

It is from Latin con- + cor (“heart”).^[2][1][4] The OLD adds that its meaning was influenced by a false derivation from chorda “string”.^[2] De Vaan lists it under cor, which he traces to Proto-Italic *kord and Proto-Indo-European *ḱērd (“heart”), comparing Ancient Greek καρδία (kardía, “heart”) and Lithuanian širdìs (“heart”).^[5] Cicero says that for some the heart itself seems to be the mind, whence the words ⟨excordēs⟩, ⟨vēcordēs⟩ and ⟨concordēs⟩.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Naevius,^[5][6] who speaks of the nine harmonious daughters of Jupiter, sisters.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is agreeing in feeling and opinion, like-minded, and of a group living in harmony.^[2] As a noun it is a like-minded person, a comrade, as in Ennius.^[2] Of abstract things it is harmonious: Cicero speaks of a moderate and harmonious state of the community and of a harmony of very different voices.^[2] Of things it is jointly shared or showing concord: Virgil has horses that bear the bridle in harmony under the yoke.^[2] Glosses explain it as of one consent, agreeing, consenting.^[4] Church Latin glosses it harmonious, of one mind.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius of the Muses.^[2][5][6]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius of comrades.^[2][6]
• 230/220–168 BC – Caecilius has the nominative concordis.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of a harmonious state and of harmony in music.^[2][6]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil of horses under the yoke.^[2][6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of one mind, agreeing, like-minded; living in harmony.^[2][3][1][7]
2. (as a noun) A like-minded person, comrade.^[2]
3. Of abstract things and sounds, harmonious, concordant.^[2][1]
4. Jointly shared, united; showing concord.^[2]

Word family

• concordātiō
• concordia
• concordiālis
• concorditer
• concordō

Related words

• cor
• discors

References

1. ^ a b c d e f 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson