Etymologically
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exilis

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 15:23. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɛkˈsiː.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eɡˈziː.lis][1]

Forms

exīlis (neuter exīle, comparative exīlior, adverb exīliter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is probably from ⟨*ex-ag-lis⟩, from ex- and the root of agō, as in exigō “to drive out; to weigh exactly”.[2][3] Wiktionary suggests instead ⟨ex-⟩ and īle “groin, flank”.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.[3] The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucilius, of a thin body.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant thin, lean, slender, of people and animals, as in Lucilius.[2] In Cicero it meant scanty, meagre, unsubstantial, of soil poor, and of style plain, thin, and in Pliny the Elder of small importance.[2] Döderlein explains that exīlis and macer blame leanness as the result of shrivelling, exīlis of any body, opposed to ūber “rich”, while gracilis and tenuis describe outward form without blame.[4]

British Medieval Latin used it for thin, narrow, small.[5] It survives in Italian esile “slender”.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3]
  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of a thin body.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of meagre things and plain style.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Thin, lean, slender.[2]
  2. Scanty, meagre; unsubstantial.[2]
  3. Of soil, poor.[2]
  4. Of style, plain, thin.[2]
  5. Slight, unimportant.[2]

Word family

  • exīlitās
  • perexīlis

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from macer, gracilis and tenuis.[4]

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  5. ^ 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