funeralis

Forms

fūnerālis (neuter fūnerāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin fūnus (“funeral”) + -ālis, formed on the oblique stem ⟨fūner-⟩.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it to Augustine (354–430),^[4] and Georges and Gaffiot cite a sermon ascribed to him, which speaks of a reward at a funeral.^[2][5][6] They also cite the production notices (didascaliae) of Terence's Adelphoe and Hecyra, which name ludi funerales, funeral games.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The Classical adjective was fūnebris; this one is Late Latin.^[3][1] Ecclesiastical Latin also used it for something deadly or mournful.^[7]

In Medieval Latin it described anything connected with a funeral, and the neuter plural funeralia became a noun for the funeral rites, the funeral expenses and the burial fees a church received.^[8] From funeralia comes the English adjective funeral (late 14th century), which became the noun in the 1510s.^[3]

Timeline

• 354–430 AD – Augustine (or a sermon under his name) uses it.^[2][4]
• 1322 – A will provides for expensas funerales, funeral expenses.^[8]
• late 14th century – English borrows funeral as an adjective.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Of or for a funeral.^[2][5][8]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Deadly, mournful.^[7][6]

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin, neuter plural funeralia) Funeral rites; funeral expenses; burial fees paid to a church.^[8][3]

Related words

• fūnebris
• English funeral

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b 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 Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b c d 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