hilaris

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈhɪ.ɫa.rɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiː.la.ris]^[1]

Forms

hilaris (neuter hilare, comparative hilarior, superlative hilarissimus, adverb hilarē or hilariter); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1] Also hilarus, -a, -um, the form under which the OLD enters it.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”), from ἵλαος (hílaos, “propitious, gracious”).^[2][1][3] Etymonline relates the Greek to a root *selh- “to reconcile”, as in sōlor “to comfort”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of a cheerful slave, in the form hilarus.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant cheerful, light-hearted, of good cheer, as Plautus' hilarissumum convīvam and Cicero's hilarī animō esse, and of features and expression cheerful, and in Columella of animals lively.^[2][6] Of events and writings it meant marked by cheerfulness, as Cicero's hilara Sāturnālia, and of things cheerful in aspect.^[2] Döderlein explains that gaudēre is joy as an inward state, while laetārī and hilarem esse are its outward expression.^[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant cheerful, joyful, smiling.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it of happiness and of a cheerful face or voice.^[9] English hilarious came in 1823 from it, first “cheerful”.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses hilarus of a cheerful slave.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses hilarī animō.^[6][5]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it of lively animals.^[2][5]
• 1823 – English hilarious is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Cheerful, light-hearted, merry.^[2]
2. Of animals, lively.^[2]
3. Marked by cheerfulness.^[2]
4. Cheerful in appearance.^[2]

Related words

• hilaritās
• laetus
• English hilarious
• English hilarity

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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