Etymologically
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ignarus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪŋˈnaː.rʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɲˈɲaː.rus][1]

Forms

ignārus (feminine ignāra, neuter ignārum, comparative ignārior, superlative ignārissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from in- “not” and gnārus “knowing”.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of someone unacquainted with something.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant having no knowledge, unaware, as in Terence, and in Plautus having no experience, unacquainted.[2] In Sallust it was used passively, unknown, unfamiliar.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant ignorant, inexperienced.[4] British Medieval Latin used it of the unknowing and, with a genitive, of having no knowledge of something.[5] It survives in Italian and Spanish ignaro and French ignare.[1] Its derived verb ignōrō “not to know” gave English ignorant through its participle.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the inexperienced.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of the ignorant.[2][3]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it in the sense “unknown”.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Ignorant, unaware.[2]
  2. Inexperienced, unacquainted.[2]
  3. Unknown, unfamiliar.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  5. ^ 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. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com