ingloriosus

Forms

inglōriōsus (feminine inglōriōsa, neuter inglōriōsum); first/second-declension adjective^[1][2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin in- + glōriōsus (“glorious”), with the negative prefix.^[3][2] Conte classes it as Late Latin.^[2] It has the meaning of the Classical inglōrius, “without glory”.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Younger uses it in a letter of an inglorious helmsman.^[6][5][1]

Semantic evolution

The Sententiae ascribed to Varro have ingloriosum est with an infinitive, “it is inglorious to …”.^[5][2] It also appears in Firmicus Maternus and Ambrose,^[2] and in Arnobius' commentary on the Psalms.^[6]

Medieval writers used it for what is without glory or dishonourable, as William of Malmesbury of a victory,^[7] and often in the litotes non ingloriosus.^[8] Italian inglorioso continues it.^[2]

Timeline

• 343–350 AD – Firmicus Maternus uses it in the Mathesis.^[2][9]
• c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose uses it.^[2][9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Without glory, inglorious.^[6][5][2]
2. (Medieval Latin) Dishonourable.^[7][8]

References

1. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
3. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
4. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de