Etymologically
Log in

eleganter

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 20 October 2026 at 12:55. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

ēleganter (comparative ēlegantius, superlative ēlegantissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ēlegāns (“fastidious, refined”) + -ter.[2][1] De Vaan explains ēlegāns as the participle of a verb ⟨*ex-legāre⟩, beside legō2 (“to gather, read”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *leg-e- and Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (“to collect”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Varro,[4] who says of a villa that it is finished elegantly with stucco work.[2] Cicero speaks of a youth spent decorously, adulēscentiam trāductam ēleganter.[2]

Semantic evolution

It means acting with correct taste or conduct, and then with correctness of usage.[2] It is used of things pleasing to the eye, and above all of speech: Cicero calls someone a most elegant speaker of Latin, Latīnē loquī ēlegantissimē.[2] Other arts and activities follow: Sallust says a woman danced more elegantly than a respectable woman need.[2] The jurists use it to introduce a fine legal distinction, “with nice discrimination”.[2] It has the comparative ēlegantius and the superlative ēlegantissimē.[2][1]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro, of a villa finished with stucco.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero, of conduct and of elegant speech.[2][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust, of dancing.[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. With correct taste or conduct, decorously.[2]
  2. Correctly, properly (of usage).[2]
  3. Attractively, elegantly.[2][1]
  4. With skilful choice of words, neatly, happily; skilfully (in other arts).[2]
  5. (law) With nice discrimination.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de