intensivus

Forms

intensīvus, -a, -um; first/second-declension adjective^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin intendō (“to stretch, strain”), formed in Medieval Latin on ⟨intens-⟩, the stem of its past participle, with the suffix -īvus.^[1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The MLW's first quotations come from Albertus Magnus, in his commentary on Job and in a theological summa, where it describes the size or strength of something measured by degree, such as the gravity of a sin.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It was a term of scholastic philosophy:^[4][2] Thomas Aquinas uses it of what goes by tension, increase or strength, as the opposite of extensivus, in phrases such as infinitas intensiva and quantitas intensiva;^[4] the Czech lexicon also defines it against extensivus.^[5] Beside this the MLW records the senses “vehement, intense” and an adverbial use, “in respect of degree”.^[2] Niermeyer glosses it simply “intensive”.^[6]

In music it described an interval rising in pitch, in Jacobus of Liège.^[7][2] In Hungary Nicolaus de Mirabilibus distinguished the extensive and the intensive magnitude of a sin, and the Hungarian lexicon renders it “inward, inmost”;^[8] in Poland it is a term of philosophy.^[9] English took over intensive in the mid-15th century, from Old French intensif and Medieval Latin intensivus.^[3]

Timeline

• 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it of what is measured by degree, such as the gravity of a sin.^[2][1]
• 14th century – Jacobus of Liège uses it in music of a rising interval.^[7]
• mid-15th century – English borrows it as intensive, “intense, fervent”.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to intensity, degree or strength, as opposed to extensivus.^[2][4][5]
2. Vehement, intense.^[2][6]
3. (music) Rising in pitch.^[7][2]
4. (Medieval Latin, Hungary) Inward, intimate.^[8]

Related words

• intendō
• English intensive

References

1. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
5. ^ a b 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
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b c Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
8. ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
9. ^ Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl