contumaciter

Forms

contumāciter (comparative contumācius, superlative contumācissimē)^[1] The comparative is contumācius.^[2][1]

Etymology

It is from Latin contumāx (“stubborn, defiant”) + -ter.^[2][1] The origin of contumāx is uncertain: the OLD suggests con- with the root of temnō (“to despise”) or tumeō (“to swell”),^[2] and de Vaan a verb ⟨*con-tumeō⟩ “to be proud”, noting that ⟨percontumāx⟩ is attested earlier.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[4] who uses it of writing proudly or without sparing someone's feelings, and of rejecting something defiantly.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

It means stubbornly or defiantly, usually in a bad sense:^[2][6] Livy has it of doing everything defiantly, Nepos the comparative of behaving rather defiantly, and Suetonius of obeying rather unwillingly.^[6][5] In a good sense Seneca uses it of steadfastness.^[5] In medieval law it means by default, in contumacy.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero, of writing proudly.^[5][6][4]
• c. 100–24 BC – Nepos, the comparative contumācius.^[5][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy, of acting defiantly.^[6][4]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca, of steadfastness.^[5][4]
• Medieval Latin – By default, in a lawsuit.^[7]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Stubbornly, defiantly, obstinately, inflexibly.^[2][6][1]
2. Proudly, without sparing;^[5] with steadfastness.^[5]
3. (Medieval Latin, law) By default.^[7]

Related words

• contumāx
• contumācia

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
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 d e f g h Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill