Etymologically
Log in

distinctivus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 05:40. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

distinctīvus, distinctīva, distinctīvum; first/second-declension adjective[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin distinctus (“separated, distinguished”) + -īvus, from the past participle of distinguō (“to separate, distinguish”).[3][4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler, following Latham, dates its first record to the 9th century.[1] The DMLBS cites Alcuin's grammar, where vel is called a disjunctive conjunction that may be used for a copulative one.[5]

Semantic evolution

In grammar it meant disjunctive,[5] and Conrad of Mure calls the virgula a punctuation sign of this kind.[2] In 13th-century philosophy it came to mean separating, distinguishing or constituting a difference, in Albertus Magnus, Roger Bacon and Duns Scotus;[2][5] Thomas Aquinas sets it against constitutivus.[6] Used as a noun it meant a distinguishing feature.[5][1] Writers on optics speak of a discriminating faculty of the soul that judges what the eye sees.[5][4]

In charters it was used of boundary marks: a Hungarian document of 1347 speaks of a separation by boundaries,[7] and a formulary of St Andrews of 1538 of stone and other signs marking a boundary.[5] English distinctive comes partly from it.[3]

Timeline

  • 9th century – First recorded, according to Köbler (from Latham); the DMLBS cites Alcuin's grammar.[1][5]
  • 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it as a noun for a distinguishing feature.[1][2]
  • 3rd quarter of the 13th century – Conrad of Mure applies it to a punctuation mark.[2][1]
  • 1347 – A Hungarian charter uses it of the separation of estates by boundaries.[7]
  • early 15th century – English distinctive comes from Old French distinctif and directly from Medieval Latin distinctivus.[3]
  • 1538 – A St Andrews formulary speaks of signs marking a boundary.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin, grammar) Disjunctive.[5]
  2. (Medieval Latin, grammar) Of punctuation.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Separating.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) Distinctive, constituting or showing a difference.[5][2][6]
  5. (Medieval Latin) Discriminating, able to tell things apart.[5][4]
  6. (Medieval Latin) Marking a boundary.[5][7][4]

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A distinguishing feature.[5][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  7. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE