Etymologically
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intellectus

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Forms

intellēctus m (genitive intellēctūs); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

It is from intellegō “to understand” with the suffix of action nouns -tus.[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC, and the OLD cites Cicero for the ablative with adjectives.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

It meant discerning with the senses, perception, as Pliny the Elder's perception of flavours, and in Seneca understanding, comprehension, intellectuī esse to be intelligible.[2][6][7] In Cicero the ablative was used with adjectives, like a supine of intellegō.[2] From Vitruvius it meant the faculty of understanding, the intellect, and in Seneca the meaning, sense of a word.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant sense, meaning, insight, understanding, intellect.[8] Medieval Latin used it for privity, connivance.[9] It was borrowed into Italian as intelletto and French intellect, and English intellect came in the late 14th century, intellēctuālis gave English intellectual.[1][4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses the ablative with adjectives.[2][5]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of the intellect.[2][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of comprehension and meaning.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English intellect is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Perception, discernment.[2]
  2. Understanding, comprehension.[2]
  3. The faculty of understanding, intellect.[2]
  4. An understanding between persons.[2]
  5. Meaning, sense.[2]

Word family

  • intellēctuālis

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill