felix

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfeː.liːks]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛː.liks]^[1]

Forms

fēlīx (genitive fēlīcis, comparative fēlīcior, superlative fēlīcissimus, adverb fēlīciter); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *fēl(w)ī- (“suckling, with young”), with ⟨-c-⟩ added in Latin, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-l(u)-i-, from the root *dʰeh₁(y)- “to suck”.^[2][1] De Vaan explains the development as “suckling” or “with young” > “fruitful” > “fortunate”.^[2] Cognate with Ancient Greek θηλή (thēlḗ, “teat”) and Old Irish deil (“sow”), and related to fīlius, fēmina, fēcundus and fētus.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^[2][4] Cato, quoted by Festus, uses arbor fēlīx for a fruit-bearing tree.^[5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was fruitful or productive, of trees and plants.^[3][5] It then meant bringing good luck or auspicious, of omens, and enjoying good fortune, happy or blessed, as in Terence's hominem fēlīcem! “lucky man!”.^[3] Sulla took it as a cognomen, Fēlīx, and it became a common Roman name.^[6]

Döderlein notes that fēlīx is the most general word for happiness, both making and being happy.^[7] In Christian Latin it meant blessed.^[8] fēlīcitās gave English felicity.^[9] It was borrowed into Italian felice and Spanish feliz.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence exclaims “lucky man!”.^[3][4]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius speaks of fruitful trees.^[3][4]
• late 14th century – English felicity is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. fruitful, productive.^[3]
2. Lucky, auspicious.^[3]
3. Fortunate, happy, blessed.^[3]
4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Blessed.^[8]

Word family

• fēlīcitās
• īnfēlīx
• fēlīciter
• fēlīcitō

Related words

• fēcundus
• fēmina
• fēnus
• fētus
• fīlius
• English felicity

Usage notes

A different noun fēlix, a variant of filix “fern”, has a short e.^[5][6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com