Etymologically

concors

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈkɔŋ.kɔrs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈkɔŋ.kors][1]

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

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