flexilis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfɫɛk.sɪ.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈflɛk.si.lis]^[1]

Forms

flexilis (neuter flexile); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin flectō (“to bend”) + -ilis.^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨flectō⟩ as Proto-Italic *flek-t-, perhaps with a suffix ⟨*-t-⟩ on the model of ⟨plectō⟩; the root has no obvious Indo-European cognates.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Virgil.^[4][2] Köbler dates Virgil 70–19 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Poetic and post-Augustan, it meant that may be bent, pliant, flexible, as of a bow in Ovid, and curved, bent, twisted, of hair curled, as in Pliny and Apuleius.^[2][5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for easily bent, flexible, as in Alcuin.^[7]

Timeline

• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it.^[2][4]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of a bow.^[5][4]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of curls.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Pliant, flexible.^[2]
2. Curved, twisted, (of hair) curled.^[2]

Related words

• flectō
• flexus
• flexibilis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ 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