habitualis

Forms

habituālis (neuter habituāle, adverb habitualiter); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin habitus (“condition, state; dress”) + -ālis.^[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Albertus Magnus, in the 13th century.^[4] It is a word of scholastic philosophy, for what belongs to an acquired, lasting disposition (habitus) as opposed to what is actual.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Philosophers and theologians used it for what is latent or potential in the mind or character, in contrast to what is actually done,^[5][2] and a Hungarian writer distinguishes “habitual”, “actual” and “virtual” attention.^[6] It also referred to dress: Salimbene mentions millers who obtained some tunicae habituālēs from the Franciscans,^[2] and Du Cange explains habituālis tunica as the tunic one wears.^[7] The MLW further records the sense “according to outward appearance or shape”.^[2]

Ecclesiastical Latin has it for “habitual”, with the adverb habituāliter.^[8] English habitual comes from it.^[3]

Timeline

• 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it.^[4]
• 1282–1287 – Salimbene speaks of tunics belonging to the friars' habit.^[2][4]
• mid-15th century – Borrowed into English as habitual.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (philosophy) Relating to a lasting disposition or state, latent or potential as opposed to actual.^[2][5]
2. Belonging to the (monastic) habit.^[2][7]
3. Habitual, customary.^[1][8]

Related words

• habitus
• English habitual

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c 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
6. ^ Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
7. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson