Etymologically
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familiaris

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [fa.mɪ.liˈaː.rɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [fa.mi.liˈaː.ris][1]

Forms

familiāris (neuter familiāre, comparative familiārior, superlative familiārissimus, adverb familiāriter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from familia “household” with the suffix -āris.[2][1][3] Etymonline calls it a dissimilation of *familiālis.[4] Its ablative singular is usually ⟨familiārī⟩, but Rutilius Rufus and Sulpicius Rufus have ⟨familiāre⟩.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of what belongs to one's household and of household slaves.[2] Köbler also starts with Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant of the household, and as a noun a member of the household, especially a slave, and Seneca says the ancestors called slaves familiārēs.[2][6] Rēs familiāris was one's private property, estate.[2] It meant private, personal, and in divination by entrails, relating to the person sacrificing, as in Cicero.[2] It meant of the family, closely connected, intimate, and as a noun a close friend, as in Plautus and Cicero.[2][7] It then meant well known, familiar, customary, congenial, and in Seneca experienced or at home in something.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant friendly, familiar, intimate, and as a noun a household servant or an intimate friend.[8] In Medieval Latin a familiāris was a manorial dependant, a ministerial, or a member of a ruler's household, and in Britain a member of a military retinue.[9][10] English familiar came through Old French in the mid-14th century, first as “intimate, very friendly”.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the household and of intimates.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of friendship and of what is well known.[2][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of being at home in something.[2][5]
  • mid-14th century – English familiar is recorded, through Old French.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of one's household, domestic, rēs familiāris, one's private property.[2]
  2. Private, personal.[2]
  3. Of one's family; closely connected, akin.[2]
  4. Intimate, friendly.[2]
  5. Well known, familiar; customary; congenial.[2]
  6. Experienced in, acquainted with.[2]

Noun

  1. A member of a household, especially a slave.[2][6]
  2. A close friend, intimate.[2][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A manorial dependant; a member of a ruler's household.[9]

Word family

  • familiaresco
  • familiāricus
  • familiāritās
  • perfamiliāris
  • familiāriter

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  10. ^ 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