insolens

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈĩː.sɔ.ɫẽːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈin.so.lens]^[1]

Forms

īnsolēns (genitive īnsolentis, comparative īnsolentior, adverb īnsolenter); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1] Comparative īnsolentior, superlative īnsolentissimus.^[2]

Etymology

It is from in- (“not”) and ⟨solēns⟩, the participle of soleō “to be accustomed”.^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨soleō⟩ as Proto-Italic *sol-ē- (“to occupy”), ⟨*sol-eh₁-⟩ “to occupy, inhabit”, though the etymology is disputed.^[3] De Vaan traces the negative prefix ⟨in-⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *n̥- (“not, un-”), cognate with Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) and Oscan ⟨an-⟩.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Terence, “unaccustomed”.^[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant unaccustomed to, unfamiliar with, as in Terence and Caesar's bellī īnsolēns; of things unusual, as in Pacuvius; from Cicero immoderate, excessive; and haughty, overbearing, arrogant, insolent.^[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means haughty, arrogant.^[6] English insolent (late 14th century) is from it.^[7]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.^[2][4]
• 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of the unusual.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of excess and arrogance.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English insolent is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Unaccustomed, unfamiliar.^[2][8]
2. Unusual.^[2]
3. Immoderate, excessive.^[2]
4. Haughty, arrogant, insolent.^[2][6]

Word family

• īnsolentia

Related words

• soleō
• English insolent

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press