Etymologically
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honorus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [hɔˈnoː.rʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [oˈnɔː.rus][1]

Forms

honōrus (feminine honōra, neuter honōrum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is derived from honor (“honour”) with the adjective ending -us,[2][1] on the model of decōrus (“becoming”) beside decor.[3][4][1] The noun, also honōs, has no known etymology beyond Latin according to de Vaan.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL describes it as chiefly a poetic word, from Valerius Flaccus on;[4][6] he uses it of an honouring song, in the sense “that confers honour”.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The epic poets Silius Italicus and Statius use it, usually at the end of a line;[4] Statius also has it in the sense “worthy of honour”, of an honourable death.[2][3] In prose it is found in Tacitus' Annals, of a speech full of praise.[4][3][7]

Medieval writers used it of noble or venerable people and of solemn or festive things.[8][9] Du Cange glosses it as honorificus.[10]

Timeline

  • late 1st century AD – Valerius Flaccus uses it of a song that confers honour.[2][4][6]
  • c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of an honourable death.[2][6]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it in prose, of a speech of praise.[4][6]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. That confers honour, honorific, complimentary.[2][3][11]
  2. Worthy of honour, honourable.[2][3]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Noble, venerable; solemn, festive.[8][9]

Word family

  • inhonōrus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  11. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.