Etymologically
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damnosus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [damˈnoː.sʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [damˈnɔː.s̬us][1]

Forms

damnōsus (feminine damnōsa, neuter damnōsum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from damnum “loss, damage” with the suffix -ōsus.[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨damnum⟩ to Proto-Italic *dapno-, from Proto-Indo-European *dh₂p-no- (“expense, investment”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant causing financial loss, ruinous, as in Plautus, and harmful, destructive in general; of persons, wasting their own property, prodigal, spendthrift, as in Plautus.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant harmful, mistaken.[6] British Medieval Latin used it for hurtful, detrimental, and in theology leading to damnation.[7] It survives in Italian dannoso and Spanish dañoso, and English borrowed it as the rare damnous.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • before 1180 – a British document uses it of a harmful lawsuit.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Causing loss, ruinous, harmful.[2][5]
  2. Prodigal, spendthrift.[2]
  3. (theology) Leading to damnation.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ 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