ingenue

Forms

ingenuē (adverb)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin ingenuus (“freeborn; noble, frank”) + -ē.^[1][3] De Vaan lists the adjective, which he records from Plautus, among the derivatives of gignō (“to beget”);^[4] Wiktionary takes it, with some doubt, from in- and an earlier *genowos, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler first records it in Cicero,^[3] who in De finibus speaks of someone brought up as befits a freeborn person (ingenuē ēducātus).^[2][6][7]

Semantic evolution

Cicero also uses it of confessing something openly and frankly,^[2] and it is found in this sense of candour in his letters,^[6] in Quintilian, of speaking frankly for one's own side, and in Seneca and Tacitus.^[2][7]

In medieval Latin it could mean holding land “in full property”, as an allodial holding.^[8] British writers used it of noble birth and bearing: William of Malmesbury has a man of high rank who was nobly brought up from boyhood.^[9] An Old High German gloss renders it with sihhuro.^[3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a liberal upbringing and of frank confession.^[2][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of speaking frankly.^[2][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it.^[7][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In a manner befitting a freeborn person, liberally.^[1][6]
2. Honourably, candidly, frankly.^[1][2]
3. (Medieval Latin) In full property, as an allodial holding.^[8]
4. (Medieval Latin) As befits one of high birth, nobly, generously.^[9]

Related words

• ingenuus
• gignō

References

1. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ 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