Etymologically
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indigne

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Forms

indignē (comparative indignius, superlative indignissimē); adverb[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin indignus (“unworthy”) + -ē.[1][2] De Vaan lists dignus (“worthy”) under decet (“it is fitting”) and traces it to Proto-Italic *dek-no- (“worthy”) and Proto-Indo-European *deḱ-no-.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first quotation in the OLD is in a tragedy of Naevius, whose speaker is driven out of his country undeservedly, though innocent.[1][2]

Semantic evolution

It means contrary to one's deserts, undeservedly, and in an unworthy manner, shamefully or outrageously: in Plautus a man is madly in love with a courtesan, a shameful thing.[1] With ⟨ferre⟩ or ⟨patī⟩ it is to take something ill, resent it, as in an epitaph whose subject's bitter fate the people resented.[1] Köbler dates it from Terence.[2] Medieval Latin used it for without reason, unduly, wrongfully.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius, undeservedly.[1][2]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, shamefully.[1][2]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Contrary to one's deserts, undeservedly.[1]
  2. In an unworthy manner, unbecomingly, shamefully.[1]
  3. indignē ferre, indignē patī, to take ill, resent.[1]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Without reason, unduly, wrongfully.[4]

References

  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  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 Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill