fulmineus

Forms

fulmineus (feminine fulminea, neuter fulmineum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin fulmen (“lightning, thunderbolt”) + -eus.^[2][1] De Vaan derives fulmen, from an older form with ⟨-gm-⟩, from fulgō (“to flash, shine”), and calls that derivation certain.^[3] The verb goes back to Proto-Italic *folg-e/o- (“to shine”) and Proto-Indo-European *bʰl̥g-e/o- (“to shine”).^[3] Cognate with Ancient Greek φλέγω (phlégō, “to burn”) and φλόξ (phlóx, “flame”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Lucretius,^[3] who speaks of fulmineus ignis, “the fire of the thunderbolt”;^[2][4] Köbler's first source is Horace.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short call it poetic.^[4] It first means belonging to or caused by lightning, as in Horace's and Ovid's ictus, the stroke of the thunderbolt,^[2][4] and then like a flash of lightning or a peal of thunder.^[2] Figuratively it describes what acts like lightning, in speed or destructiveness: Virgil's fulmineus Mnestheus,^[2][4] and in Silius Italicus a tigress running with the speed of lightning.^[2] Lewis & Short also give the senses sparkling, splendid.^[4][1] Ecclesiastical Latin keeps the senses “of lightning” and “brilliant” and adds “dangerous”.^[6]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius, of the fire of lightning.^[2][3][5]
• 65–8 BC – Horace, of the thunderbolt's stroke.^[4][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil, figuratively of a warrior.^[2][5]
• 25–101 AD – Silius Italicus, of lightning speed.^[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or caused by lightning or the thunderbolt.^[2][4][1]
2. Like a flash of lightning or a peal of thunder.^[2]
3. Acting like lightning, swift or destructive; having the speed of lightning.^[2]
4. (figurative) Sparkling, brilliant, splendid.^[4][1][6]

Related words

• fulmen
• fulminō
• fulgō
• fulgur

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson