diversus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [diːˈwɛr.sʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [diˈvɛr.sus]^[1]

Forms

dīversus (feminine dīversa, neuter dīversum, superlative dīversissimus, adverb dīversē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is the participle of dīvertō “to turn aside, go different ways”, from dis- and vertō “to turn”.^[2][1][3][4] An older spelling is ⟨dīvorsus⟩.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Varro, of things facing different ways.^[2] Köbler's first source is Cicero.^[6] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant turned in different directions, of roads diverging, as in Catullus, coming from opposite sides, as in Sallust, and turned another way, as in Caesar.^[2] It meant set apart, separate, distant, with in dīversa “in different directions”, as in Livy.^[2] It meant differing in quality or purpose, opposite, as in Ovid, distinct, different from another, the reverse, and of persons holding different views.^[2] It meant of the opposing side, hostile, and ex dīversō “on the other hand, conversely”, as in Seneca and Pliny the Elder, and also varied.^[2] Döderlein says varius is varied in itself, dīversus different from something else.^[7]

In Medieval Latin it meant various, and in the plural several.^[8] It survives in French divers and Spanish divieso.^[1] English divers came through Old French in the late 13th century, and English diverse in the late 14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of things facing different ways.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of different things.^[2][6]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of other directions.^[2][6]
• late 13th century – English divers is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Turned different ways; diverging.^[2]
2. Separate, distant, in dīversa, in different directions.^[2]
3. Different, diverse; opposite.^[2]
4. Of the other side, hostile.^[2]
5. ex dīversō, on the other hand, conversely.^[2]
6. Varied.^[2]

Word family

• dīversitās

Related words

• dīverrō
• dīvertō
• vertō
• varius
• English diverse
• English divers

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill