criminose

Forms

crīminōsē (comparative crīminōsius, superlative crīminōsissimē)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin crīminōsus (“accusatory, slanderous”) + -ē.^[1][3] The adjective is from crīmen (“accusation”),^[4][5] which de Vaan lists among the derivatives of cernō (“to sift, decide”), with the noun traced to Proto-Indo-European *(-)krei-mn.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[5] who writes of something an accuser could say slanderously and suspiciously, criminose ac suspiciose.^[1][7]

Semantic evolution

It means “accusingly, slanderously”: in the Brutus Cicero says he never heard anyone speak more suspiciously or accusingly,^[2][3] Sallust has someone speak slanderously about a war, Livy has questions put so as to raise a charge, Tacitus writes of men who accused Blaesus more bitterly, and Suetonius of an attack made most slanderously.^[1][2] Cicero also uses it of something done in a way that invites accusation.^[1]

Later it meant “criminally, culpably”: Aurelius Victor and Commodian use it so,^[3][7] and it has this sense in medieval Latin.^[8][9]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of speaking slanderously.^[1][5]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of slanderous talk about a war.^[1][5]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses the comparative of accusing Blaesus.^[1][5]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses the superlative.^[1][5]
• c. 360 AD – Aurelius Victor uses it for “criminally”.^[3][5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In an accusing way, slanderously, abusively.^[1][3][7]
2. In a way that invites accusation.^[1]
3. (Late Latin) Criminally, culpably.^[3][8][9]

Related words

• crīminōsus
• crīmen

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b 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