Etymologically
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facetus

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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

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