eligibilis

Forms

ēligibilis (neuter ēligibile); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ēligō (“to choose”), formed with the suffix -bilis.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL cites it first from Boethius (early 6th century) and Rusticus (after 553),^[3] mostly in the comparative ēligibilior, meaning “preferable”: Rusticus writes that it is more to be chosen to endure anything than to betray the faith.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Boethius used it in his Latin versions of Aristotle's Topics and Sophistical Refutations, where it renders the notion of what is more worthy of choice.^[2][4][5] Köbler dates him to the first quarter of the 6th century.^[3]

The scholastic writers kept the sense “worthy to be chosen, preferable”: Richard of Middleton calls wisdom desirable for its own sake, and Ockham asks whether aristocracy is preferable to kingship.^[6] In the sense of a person who can be chosen for an office, it appears in the statutes of the Teutonic Order.^[7][6] English eligible (early 15th century) came through Old French from the Late Latin word.^[8]

Timeline

• early 6th century – Boethius uses it for what is more worthy of choice.^[2][3]
• after 553 – Rusticus uses the comparative ēligibilior.^[2][3]
• early 15th century – English eligible comes from it through Old French.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Worthy to be chosen, preferable.^[2][4][6]
2. (Medieval Latin) eligible, able to be chosen (of a person).^[7][6]

Related words

• English eligible

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com