ferocitas

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [fɛˈroː.kɪ.taːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [feˈrɔː.t͡ʃi.tas]^[1]

Forms

ferōcitās f (genitive ferōcitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ferōx (“wild, fierce”) + -tās.^[2][1] De Vaan suggests ⟨ferōx⟩ may contain a second element ⟨*-h₃kʷ-⟩ “having a fierce aspect”, added to ferus “wild”, which he traces to Proto-Italic *χwero-, Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰweh₁r- (“wild animal”), cognate with Ancient Greek θήρ (thḗr, “wild beast”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Cicero.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant wild or untamed courage, fierceness, in a good sense high spirit, valour, as in Cicero's animī ferōcitās, and in a bad sense savageness, excessive spirits, aggressiveness, insolence.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means untamed courage, fierceness.^[7] British Medieval Latin applied it to people, animals and natural forces.^[8] English ferocity (c. 1600) is from it through French.^[9]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[2][4]
• c. 1600 – English ferocity is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Fierceness, savageness, ferocity.^[2][5]
2. High spirit, valour.^[5][6]
3. Aggressiveness, insolence.^[2]

Related words

• ferōx
• ferōcia
• ferus
• English ferocity

Usage notes

Lewis & Short compare ferōcia.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com