facetus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [faˈkeː.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [faˈt͡ʃɛː.tus]^[1]

Forms

facētus (feminine facēta, neuter facētum, comparative facētior, superlative facētissimus); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

The origin is doubtful.^[2][3] The ancients derived it from faciō “to make”, while modern scholars connect it with fax “torch”, or with Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweh₂k- (“to shine”), as in Lithuanian žvakė (“candle”).^[2][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of cleverness and of gentle humour.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant clever, adept, also of speakers and writers, as in Lucilius, and elegant, fine, as in Plautus and Horace.^[2][5] It meant gently humorous, witty, as Cicero's witty speakers.^[2][5]

In Medieval Latin it meant courteous, refined, cultured, and witty, amusing.^[6][7] It survives in Italian and Spanish faceto.^[1] English facetious came in the 1590s through French facétieux, from its derivative facētia “jest”.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of cleverness and humour.^[2][4]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of writers.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of witty speakers.^[5][4]
• 1590s – English facetious is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Clever, adept; elegant.^[2][5]
2. Gently humorous, witty.^[2]
3. (Medieval Latin) Courteous, refined.^[6]

Word family

• facētia
• perfacētus

Related words

• facētē
• facētior
• fax
• English facetious

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ 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