directivus

Forms

dīrēctīvus (feminine dīrēctīva, neuter dīrēctīvum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is a Medieval Latin adjective from Latin dīrigō (“to direct, guide, steer”) + -īvus,^[1] built on the participle dīrēctus.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler first records it in Albertus Magnus in the 13th century.^[2] In his commentary on the Sentences, Albertus names the two kinds of justice that Aristotle distinguishes in the fifth book of the Ethics “distributive” and directiva, the justice that makes good to the injured party what was taken from them.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It is a word of scholastic philosophy and theology.^[2][4] In its active sense it meant guiding, governing or ordering: Hugh Ripelin calls the highest stars guides of the routes of sailors.^[4] British writers used it of what indicates or fixes a course, and Duns Scotus used the neuter as a noun, a direction or guidance.^[5] The MLW also records a passive sense, that which can be straightened.^[4] In Church Latin it means directive or helpful.^[6]

English took it over in the mid-15th century as directive, “pointing out the proper direction”,^[3] and it was also borrowed into French, Catalan and Galician.^[1]

Timeline

• 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it of Aristotle's corrective justice.^[2][4]
• mid-15th century – English borrows it as directive.^[3]
• 1456 – An English register speaks of counsel that directs according to law.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) guiding, steering, governing, ordering.^[1][2][4]
2. (Medieval Latin) Indicating or determining a course; directive.^[5][6]
3. (Medieval Latin, of justice) corrective, making good a wrong.^[4]
4. (Medieval Latin, neuter as noun) A direction, guidance.^[5]
5. (Medieval Latin) That can be straightened.^[4]

Related words

• dīrēctiō
• dīrēctor
• English directive

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d 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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson