delicate

Forms

dēlicātē (comparative dēlicātius, superlative dēlicātissimē)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is an adverb, from Latin dēlicātus (“delightful, luxurious”), formed with -ē.^[1][3] VOLI derives it more directly from dēliciae (“delights”), the noun from which the adjective is made.^[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler first records it in Cicero,^[3] and the OLD's earliest citations are Varro, writing of a place where one might dine in comfort (ubi dēlicātē cēnitāret), and Cicero, who has recubāns molliter et dēlicātē “reclining softly and luxuriously”.^[1]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is in a way pleasant to the senses: luxuriously, comfortably, without exertion.^[1][5] Seneca uses the comparative of handling an angry mind more gently,^[1][6] and Suetonius, in the life of Caligula, of a journey made so lazily that he was carried in a litter with eight bearers.^[1][6] It could also mean frivolously or wantonly: Cicero writes of someone travelling about not only frivolously but foolishly, and Nepos of Alcibiades doing many things playfully and wantonly.^[1][5] Seneca says a benefit should be received neither fastidiously (dēlicātē) nor servilely,^[1][2] and Pliny the Elder uses the comparative of beans broken more finely.^[1] In medieval British Latin it keeps the sense of delicately and luxuriously, as when Walter Map writes of a king who lived most luxuriously on costly food.^[7]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of dining in comfort.^[1][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of reclining luxuriously and of travelling frivolously.^[1][3]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of gentle handling and of receiving a benefit fastidiously.^[1][3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses the comparative of beans broken finely.^[1][3]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of a leisurely journey.^[1][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In a way pleasant to the senses, luxuriously, comfortably; without exertion, gently.^[1][5][6]
2. With care not to disturb, gently, considerately.^[1][6]
3. Frivolously, wantonly.^[1][8]
4. Fastidiously.^[1][2]
5. (of consistency) Finely.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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
8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company