cursivus

Forms

cursīvus (feminine cursīva, neuter cursīvum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Medieval Latin cursus (“a running”) + -īvus.^[2][3] Köbler refers it to currō (“to run”), of which cursus is the noun.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Niermeyer records it, undated, of a cursive (running) script.^[4] The first dated record, from 1458, speaks of writing “with a running and hasty pen”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Besides handwriting, it described anything that runs on: boundary marks set in a continuous line in Hungarian documents of 1476 and 1499,^[6] and a drink that moves the urine in a Polish medical text.^[3]

Neo-Latin used it of an epistolary style: Benvenuto's commentary on Dante calls Petrus de Vineis, Frederick II's chancellor, a great master of the cursive style.^[7] In printing it named italic type: in 1505 Schedel writes that Aldus at Venice printed Virgil “in the cursive letter, as they call it”.^[7] It could also mean well versed in a subject, travelled, or fast-moving (of a speech).^[7] Italian corsivo goes back to it,^[8] and English cursive (1784) came through French cursif.^[2]

Timeline

• 1458 – A British record speaks of a running, hasty pen.^[5]
• 1476 – A Hungarian document uses it of boundary marks set in a line.^[6]
• 1505 – Schedel uses it of italic printing type.^[7]
• 1666 – Heinsius calls a small kind of script cursorium sive cursivum.^[7]
• 1784 – English has cursive, from French.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (of script) cursive, running.^[4][1]
2. Hasty, racing ahead (of a pen).^[5]
3. (Medieval Latin, Hungary) continuous, set in a straight line (of boundary marks).^[6]
4. (medicine) Diuretic, moving the urine (of a drink).^[3]
5. (New Latin) Cursive, flowing (of an epistolary style).^[7]
6. (New Latin, printing) italic (of type).^[7]
7. (New Latin) Well versed in a subject; travelled; fast-moving (of speech).^[7]

Related words

• cursōrius
• English cursive

References

1. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
4. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c 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
6. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
8. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier