exquisitus

Forms

exquīsītus (feminine exquīsīta, neuter exquīsītum; comparative exquīsītior, superlative exquīsītissimus); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin exquīrō (“to search out, inquire”), its participle used as an adjective.^[1][2][3] That verb is a compound of quaerō (“to seek”),^[4] which de Vaan, following Nussbaum, traces to Proto-Italic *kwai-s-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *kueh₂-i- (“to acquire”), with other proposals reported as uncertain.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[3] who in the De re publica speaks of training in the most refined Greek manner.^[1]

Semantic evolution

It is first what is carefully worked out, studied or meticulous: Cicero wants neatness that is neither offensive nor too studied, Valerius Maximus has vessels made with exquisite art, and Pliny the Elder knowledge of the finest subtlety.^[1] It is then what is chosen with unusual care, choice or rare: Cicero has the choicest dishes for a feast and exquisite tortures, Seneca gifts more rare and choice than costly, and Tacitus new and choice paths of eloquence and a poison chosen to disturb the mind and delay death.^[1] Georges adds a refined flatterer in Tacitus and very refined courtesy in Suetonius.^[2] Church Latin also has “made certain, properly considered”.^[5]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero, of refined training and choice dishes.^[1][3]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca, of rare and choice gifts.^[1][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus, of new paths of eloquence.^[1][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Carefully worked out, studied, meticulous.^[1][2]
2. Chosen with unusual care, choice, rare, exquisite.^[1][2][5]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Made certain; carefully considered.^[5]

Related words

• exquīrō
• quaerō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson