Etymologically
Log in

gravis

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 02:25. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɡra.wɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡraː.vis][1]

Forms

gravis (neuter grave, comparative gravior, superlative gravissimus, adverb graviter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *gʷra(w)u-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂-u- (“heavy”), a u-stem adjective made into an i-stem in Italic, like brevis and tenuis.[2][1] Cognate with Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, “heavy”), Ancient Greek βαρύς (barús, “heavy”) and Gothic 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌿𐍃 (kaurus, “heavy”), and perhaps Oscan bravús.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[2] who has a man guessing that a heavy bag holds gold.[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant heavy or weighty, laden, falling with force, slow and unwieldy, and of heat or air oppressive.[3] It was used of pregnant women and animals, of sounds deep or low, and of smells strong or offensive.[3][6] Figuratively it meant serious, grave or important, of people dignified or influential, and also severe, grievous or hard to bear, as of illness or punishment.[6]

In medieval British Latin it also meant pregnant and hard to digest.[7] gravitās gave English gravity, aggravō gave English aggravate, and gravis itself gave the adjective English grave through French.[8] Vulgar Latin *grevis gave Old French grever “to burden”, the source of English grief.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus guesses a heavy bag holds gold.[3][5]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius speaks of heavy rain.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of a heavy gold bowl.[3][5]
  • c. 1500 – English gravity is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. heavy, weighty.[3]
  2. Laden, burdened; pregnant.[3][7]
  3. Falling with force; unwieldy, sluggish.[3]
  4. (of heat, air) Oppressive.[3]
  5. (of sound) Deep, low, (of smell) strong.[6]
  6. Serious, important, (of persons) dignified, influential.[6]
  7. Severe, grievous, hard to bear.[6]

Word family

  • gravēdō
  • gravēscō
  • gravidus
  • gravitās
  • gravitūdō
  • gravō
  • English grave
  • English gravity
  • English grief

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b 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
  8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com