Etymologically
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facile

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈfa.kɪ.ɫɛ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈfaː.t͡ʃi.le][1]

Forms

facile (comparative facilius, superlative facillimē)[1] An Old Latin inscription has the superlative facilumēd; the classical forms are facilius and facillimē.[2]

Etymology

It is the neuter of facilis “easy”, used as an adverb.[2][1][3] The adjective is formed from faciō “to do, make” (“doable”); de Vaan derives that verb from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus on;[5] an Old Latin decree orders a tablet to be put up ubei facilumēd gnōscier potisit, “where it can most easily be read”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Facile means “easily, without difficulty”, then “generally, often” (with a negative “rarely”), and “readily, willingly”.[2][1] It also means “without hesitation”, and in replies “certainly”;[2][3] Lewis and Short also give “unquestionably”.[2][3]

It means “comfortably” of a pleasant life, and in Seneca the Elder “lightly, carelessly”.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: nimiō id quod pudet facilius fertur quam illud quod piget, “what shames us is borne much more easily than what grieves us”.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence: quam vōs facillumē agitis, “how comfortably you live”.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: facile dīcēbat, “he spoke readily”.[2][5]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust: haud facile quisquam grātuītō bonus est, “hardly anyone is good for nothing”.[2][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. easily, without difficulty.[2][3][1]
  2. Generally, often;[2] (with negative) rarely.[2]
  3. Readily, willingly.[2]
  4. Without hesitation;[2] (in replies) certainly;[2] unquestionably.[3]
  5. Comfortably.[2]
  6. Lightly, carelessly.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ 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 d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de