Etymology and origin of the Latin word instructivus
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 1250 before 1250, Latham More words from the 13th century
- Ultimate origin
- Latin īnstruō
Etymology tree
From the same root
Forms
īnstrūctīvus (feminine īnstrūctīva, neuter īnstrūctīvum); first/second-declension adjective[1][2]
Etymology
Formed in Medieval Latin,[1] it is from Latin īnstruō (“to equip; to teach”),[1][3] formed on its past participle īnstrūctus1.[3]
Earliest recorded meaning
Köbler dates Latham's first record to before 1250,[1] with the sense “guiding, instructive”.[1]
Semantic evolution
In the MLW's quotations it describes what serves to teach: Alexander Minorita calls the rule of Saint Benedict instructive in divine love and honest conduct, and Albert of Stade a book instructive in morals and good works.[2] A medical text quoted in the DMLBS speaks of general rules instructive for later work.[4]
In later documents it describes a text that contains instructions: in a letter of 1530 from Kulm a memorandum sent with instructions about a matter is memoriale instructivum,[3] and a Hungarian work on preaching contrasts what is plain, what is instructive and what moves the hearer.[5]
Timeline
- before 1250 – First record listed by Latham.[1]
- 1530 – A letter from Kulm speaks of a memorandum with instructions.[3]
Meanings
Adjective
- (Medieval Latin) Instructive, serving to teach.[2][4][6]
- (Medieval Latin) Containing instructions; to be referred to as a guide.[3][5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ a b c d e Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
- ^ 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
- ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
- ^ Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Cite this entry
“Instructivus.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/instructivus. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.
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