Etymologically
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dilucide

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Forms

dīlūcidē (comparative dīlūcidius, superlative dīlūcidissimē)[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin dīlūcidus (“clear, lucid”) + -ē.[1] De Vaan lists the adjective from Terence on among the derivatives of lūx (“light”), which he traces to Proto-Italic *louk- and Proto-Indo-European *leuk- (“light”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it from Cicero on,[4] but the OLD already quotes Terence's Phormio: dīlūcidē expedīvī, “I set it out clearly”.[1]

Semantic evolution

In its literal sense it means brightly: Pliny the Elder says that certain shavings burn more brightly when oil is added.[1][2] Usually it is figurative, clearly and distinctly, of speaking or explaining: Cicero pairs it with plānē, and Nepos and Livy use it of making something plain.[2][5] Celsus has the comparative and Augustine the superlative.[2]

British medieval writers used it of understanding or explaining Scripture clearly.[6]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of setting out a case clearly.[1][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero pairs it with plānē.[2][4]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses docēre dīlūcidē.[5][4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of burning brightly.[1][4]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine has the superlative dīlūcidissimē.[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Brightly.[1][2]
  2. Lucidly, clearly, distinctly.[1][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  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 f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  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
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press