hostiliter

Forms

hostīliter (comparative hostīlius, superlative hostīlissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin hostīlis (“hostile”) + -ter.^[2][1] De Vaan lists hostīlis among the derivatives of hostis (“foreigner, enemy”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *χosti- and Proto-Indo-European *gʰosti- (“stranger, guest”), and compares Old High German gast and Old Norse gestr (“guest”); he discusses several proposals for the root without settling on one.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Cicero,^[4] who asks in the Philippics what the one man did hostiliter that the other has not done or is not doing.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

It means in a hostile way, like an enemy: Sallust uses it of approaching many places with cavalry as an enemy, Livy uses it of ravaging the land around, Livy and Suetonius of plundering, and Ovid of laying low a whole herd.^[5][6] Tacitus says that some had behaved hostiliter.^[6] In medieval Latin, from the capitularies of 792/793 on, it takes the sense of the host, the army: on a military expedition, with the equipment required of those who served in the host, and at a general assembly of the realm.^[7][4] Medieval British writers use it of warlike invasions and of burning and ravaging in war, and Gildas of blows dealt violently.^[8]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of hostile acts.^[5][4]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of approaching places as an enemy.^[6][4]
• 792/793 – The Frankish capitularies use it in the sense of the host.^[4][7]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In a hostile or unfriendly way, like an enemy.^[2][5]
2. (Medieval Latin) On a military expedition; with the equipment owed by those serving in the host.^[7]
3. (Medieval Latin) At a general assembly of the realm.^[7]
4. (Medieval Latin) Angrily, violently.^[8]

Related words

• hostīlis
• hostis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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