gentilitas

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɡɛnˈtiː.lɪ.taːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [d͡ʒenˈtiː.li.tas]^[1]

Forms

gentīlitās f (genitive gentīlitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin gentīlis (“of a gens; of the same clan”) + -tās, from gēns “clan”.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨gēns⟩ to Proto-Italic *genti-, Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁-ti- (“child”), originally “clan, people of the same descent”, cognate with Ancient Greek γένεσις (génesis, “birth”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Varro, and Köbler's earliest source is Cicero.^[2][4] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the relationship of those who belong to the same clan, as in Varro and Cicero; and in Pliny connection with a race, nationality, and the relationship of natural species.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means heathendom, paganism, and gentīlitātis error was pagan unbelief.^[7][4] Medieval Latin used it for paganism and the heathens collectively.^[8] English gentility (mid-14th century, “nobility of birth”) is from it through Old French.^[9]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of clan relationship.^[6][4]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of nationality.^[2][4]
• mid-14th century – English gentility is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Membership of the same clan, clan kinship.^[2][5]
2. Nationality.^[2]
3. Relationship of natural species.^[2]
4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Paganism, heathendom.^[7][8]

Related words

• gēns
• gentilīcius
• gentīliter
• gentīlitus
• gentīlis
• English gentility

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 f 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. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com