Etymologically
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effusus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɛfˈfuː.sʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [efˈfuː.s̬us][1]

Forms

effūsus (feminine effūsa, neuter effūsum, comparative effūsior); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is the perfect participle of effundō (“to pour out”), used as an adjective.[2][3][1] The verb is from ex- and fundō (“to pour”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *χund- and Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰu-n-d- (“to pour”).[4] Cognate with Ancient Greek χέω (khéō, “to pour”) and Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (giutan, “to pour”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Lucretius.[5]

Semantic evolution

It means loose or flowing, of reins and hair: Livy's effusissimis habenis is “at full gallop”.[2] Of a body it is sprawling, and Quintilian notes that effusus is mistaken for “copious” in an orator.[2] Of land it is wide and open, as Velleius' broad gulf of the Adriatic, and of activities widespread, as in Livy's widespread plundering.[2] Of attack and flight it is headlong and disorderly, and of actions and feelings unrestrained or extravagant;[2] Livy says the Numidians are above all barbarians given to love.[2] In Cicero it is used of a smooth, flowing tone of voice.[2]

Church Latin glosses it “excessive”.[6]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius.[5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a flowing voice.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of loose reins, headlong flight and unrestrained licence.[2][5]
  • c. 20 BC–30 AD – Velleius of the wide Adriatic gulf.[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Loose, flowing; sprawling; of style, diffuse.[2][1]
  2. Wide, open, spacious; widespread.[2][1]
  3. Headlong, disorderly.[2][1]
  4. Unrestrained, immoderate, extravagant; much given to something.[2][6]
  5. Of the voice, smooth, flowing.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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 de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson