Etymologically
Log in

indiscretus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 21 October 2026 at 00:29. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪn.dɪsˈkreː.tʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [in.disˈkrɛː.tus][1]

Forms

indiscrētus (feminine indiscrēta, neuter indiscrētum, adverb indiscrētē or indiscrētim); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin in- + discrētus (“separated, distinct”), the negative prefix with the past participle of discernō (“to separate, distinguish”).[2][3][1] That verb is a compound of cernō (“to sift, distinguish”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *krin-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *kr-n-i- (“to sift, separate”).[4] Cognate with Ancient Greek κρίνω (krī́nō, “to separate”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first author in the OLD is Varro, who says that in early times farming was not kept apart from herding, since the same people sowed and grazed in one field.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

It is mostly post-Augustan.[6] In the sense “not separated” Pliny the Elder uses it of creatures whose head is not distinct from the body, such as crabs,[2][6] and Tacitus has the saying that everyone's own blood is inseparable from him.[6][7] Seneca and Quintilian use it of things that cannot be told apart in thought.[2][6] Celsus speaks of names used without distinction,[2] and Virgil of twins indistinguishable to their own parents.[2][8] Tacitus has indiscrētum est, “it makes no difference”.[2][7] Sidonius Apollinaris has an active sense, “not discerning, indiscreet”.[6][9]

Köbler's first source for it is Jerome, and he lists many medieval texts.[10] Medieval Latin added the senses indifferent, unimportant; thoughtless, careless; and rash or wanton.[11][12] In British heraldry it describes a coat of arms without the marks that distinguish junior members of a family.[13]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of farming not kept apart from herding.[2][10]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of twins who cannot be told apart.[2][10]
  • 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of names used without distinction.[2][10]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses indiscrētum est, “it makes no difference”.[2][10]
  • c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it.[10]
  • c. 431–486 AD – Sidonius Apollinaris uses it actively, “indiscreet”.[6][10]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Not separated or divided; not separable.[2][6]
  2. Treated without distinction, used indiscriminately.[2][6]
  3. Indistinguishable;[2][7] indiscrētum est, it makes no difference.[2][7]
  4. (Late Latin) Not discerning, indiscreet.[6][9]
  5. (Medieval Latin) Indifferent, of no importance.[11]
  6. (Medieval Latin) Thoughtless, careless; rash, wanton.[11][12]

Word family

  • indiscrētim

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 l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  9. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  11. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  12. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  13. ^ 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