fulgens

Forms

fulgēns (genitive fulgentis, comparative fulgentior, superlative fulgentissimus); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1][2]

Etymology

It is the present participle of fulgeō (“to flash, shine”), used as an adjective.^[1][2] The verb is older ⟨fulgere⟩, going back to Proto-Italic *folgō and to a root Proto-Indo-European *bʰlg- (“to shine”); the participle is the oldest attested form of the verb.^[3] Cognate with Ancient Greek φλέγω (phlégō, “to burn”) and Ancient Greek φλόξ (phlóx, “flame”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Ennius,^[3] whose Annals have the sky fitted with gleaming stars.^[1]

Semantic evolution

It means flashing, gleaming or resplendent, and of white or bright things brilliant, as Catullus' gleaming foot of his beloved.^[1][2] Figuratively it is bright or splendid, as Velleius' most brilliant achievement of Caesar.^[1]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius of gleaming stars.^[1][3][4]
• 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus of a gleaming foot.^[1][4]
• c. 20 BC–30 AD – Velleius of a splendid achievement.^[1][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Flashing, gleaming, resplendent; brilliant.^[1][2]
2. Bright, splendid.^[1]

Related words

• fulgeō
• fulgor
• fulgur

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de