Etymologically
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eligibilis

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [eː.lɪˈɡɪ.bɪ.lɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [e.liˈd͡ʒiː.bi.lis][1]

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]

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