Etymologically
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contumax

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɔn.tʊ.maːks][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔn.tu.maks][1]

Forms

contumāx (genitive contumācis, comparative contumācior, adverb contumāciter); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

The origin was disputed already in antiquity: some linked it with tumeō “to swell”, others with contemnō “to despise”.[2][3][1] De Vaan derives it from a verb *con-tumeō “to be proud”, also presupposed by contumēlia “insult”, though percontumāx is attested earlier.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is the Rhetorica ad Herennium, which speaks of one stubborn towards his superiors.[5][3] De Vaan dates it from Cicero.[4] Köbler dates the Rhetorica ad Herennium to 86/82 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant proud and unyielding, stubborn, defiant, usually in a bad sense, as Cicero's question who was more stubborn and arrogant, but Tacitus uses it of steadfast constancy.[3][6] In law it meant wilfully disobedient to a magistrate's decree or summons, as Ulpian says of one who does not answer at all.[3] Of animals and things it meant refractory, resistant.[6]

In Medieval Latin it meant defaulting, refusing to obey a judgment, and neglectful of one's duties.[7][8] English contumacious comes from its stem, first about 1600.[9]

Timeline

  • 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of arrogance.[3][5]
  • before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of disobedience to a summons.[3][5]
  • c. 1600 – English contumacious is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Proud and unyielding, stubborn, defiant.[3]
  2. (law) Wilfully disobedient to a summons, contumacious.[3]
  3. (of things) Refractory, resistant.[6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Defaulting; neglectful of one's obligations.[7]

Word family

  • contumācia
  • percontumax
  • contumāciter

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com