credibiliter

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kreː.dɪˈbɪ.lɪ.tɛr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kre.diˈbiː.li.ter]^[1]

Forms

crēdibiliter (comparative crēdibilius, superlative crēdibilissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin crēdibilis (“credible”) + -ter, from crēdō (“to believe”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨crēdō⟩ to Proto-Italic *krezde/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱred-dʰeh₁- (“to place the heart, believe”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Cicero's speech for Deiotarus.^[4][5] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant in a credible manner, credibly, plausibly, as in Cicero and Quintilian, and Augustine has the comparative crēdibilius.^[2][5]

British Medieval Latin used it for credibly.^[6]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[5][4]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it.^[5][4]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses crēdibilius.^[5][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Credibly, plausibly.^[2][5]

Related words

• crēdibilis
• crēdō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ 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