invisibilis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪn.wiːˈsɪ.bɪ.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɱ.viˈs̬iː.bi.lis]^[1]

Forms

invīsibilis (neuter invīsibile, adverb invīsibiliter); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from in- “not” and vīsibilis “visible”, from videō “to see”.^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short and Köbler cite Celsus, of invisible pores.^[5][3] Köbler dates Celsus 14–37 AD.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant invisible, unseen, a post-Augustan word first found in Celsus, and Tertullian, Lactantius and Augustine used it of God and the unseen world.^[5][6] Isidore explains that the Trinity is called invisible because it never appeared to mortal eyes in its own substance.^[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant invisible, with an adverb invīsibiliter.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it for not seen, out of sight, and for what cannot be understood.^[9] English invisible came through Old French in the mid-14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it.^[5][3]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it.^[5][3]
• mid-14th century – English invisible is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Invisible, unseen.^[2][5]
2. (Medieval Latin) Incomprehensible.^[9]

Related words

• vīsibilis
• videō
• English invisible

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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