facundus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [faːˈkʊn.dʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [faˈkun.dus]^[1]

Forms

fācundus (feminine fācunda, neuter fācundum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from the root ⟨fā-⟩ of fārī “to speak” with -cundus.^[2][1] De Vaan derives ⟨fārī⟩ from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to speak”) and calls the origin of the suffix in ⟨fācundus⟩ uncertain.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus.^[4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant able to speak with ease and fluency, eloquent, as in Sallust and Horace.^[2][5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for eloquent, fluent and elegant in speech.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[4]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it.^[6][4]
• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it.^[6][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Eloquent, fluent.^[2][5]

Word family

• fācundia
• fācunditās
• īnfācundus
• perfācundus

Related words

• for
• fāma
• fābula

Usage notes

Lewis & Short give disertus and ēloquēns as synonyms, and loquāx and dicāx as related words.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
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