individualis

Forms

indīviduālis (neuter indīviduāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin indīviduum (“an individual”) + -ālis, a Medieval Latin formation.^[1][2] Köbler and Etymonline refer it to the adjective indīviduus (“indivisible”),^[3][4] which is in- with dīviduus (“divisible”), from dīvidō (“to divide”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler and the MLW cite it first from Otto of Freising's Gesta Friderici, in a passage that divides substantial properties into universal ones and singular, “individual” or particular ones.^[5][3]

Semantic evolution

It was above all a word of scholastic philosophy: what belongs to, or exists as, a single individual, as against the universal.^[2][5][6] In Thomas Aquinas it is a synonym of indīviduus and the opposite of ūniversālis, and it qualifies such terms as forma, materia and proprietās.^[6] British writers use it in the same way, down to Wyclif's “individual differences”.^[2] The adverb indīviduāliter meant singly, and in Gerhoh also inseparably.^[5] Wiktionary also gives the Medieval Latin sense “indivisible”,^[1] and English individual, from the early 15th century, first meant “one and indivisible”, of the Trinity.^[4]

Timeline

• 1157–1158 – Otto of Freising uses it of singular properties.^[5][3]
• 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses the adverb indīviduāliter.^[5][3]
• third quarter of the 13th century – Thomas Aquinas uses it as a term of his philosophy.^[6][3]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as individual.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (philosophy) Individual, singular: belonging to or existing as a single thing, as opposed to universal.^{[5][2][6][7][8]}
2. Indivisible.^[1]

Related words

• English individual

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b c d Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson