Etymologically
Log in

languide

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 20 October 2026 at 13:29. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɫaŋ.ɡʷɪ.deː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈlaŋ.ɡʷi.de][1]

Forms

languidē (comparative languidius, superlative languidissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin languidus (“faint, weak, sluggish”) + -ē,[2][3] and that adjective is made from langueō (“to be faint, weary”).[4][5] De Vaan derives that verb from Proto-Italic *slangu-, perhaps Proto-Indo-European *sl-n-ǵ-u- (“weak, faint”), with a basic adjective meaning “faint, weak” that was a nasalized variant of the root seen in laxus (“loose, slack”).[4] Cognate with Ancient Greek λαγαρός (lagarós, “slack, thin”) and Old English slæc (“weak, floppy”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero,[5] who in the Tusculan Disputations has the comparative: people say that no philosopher has ever said anything languidius, “more feebly”.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Caesar uses the comparative of soldiers ordered to work less briskly,[2][6] and the Bellum Africum of enemies throwing their weapons feebly and carelessly.[2] Columella has it of a household that moves slowly and sluggishly, and Petronius uses it too.[2][7] Of things, Pliny the Elder uses it of a top that nods droopingly, of palms that are only faintly sweet and of stones that shine less brightly,[2][8] and Seneca of misfortunes that strike with less force when foreseen.[2] Lewis's school dictionary records only the comparative for the classical authors he covers.[9] A British medieval poet uses it of something once feebly despised.[10]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero has the comparative languidius.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of soldiers working without energy.[2][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of a blow that strikes with less force.[2][5]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of drooping and of faint sweetness.[2][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Droopingly, slackly.[2][8]
  2. Without force, feebly, faintly.[2][6][9]
  3. Without eagerness, sluggishly, listlessly, apathetically.[2][7][6]

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 n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  9. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company
  10. ^ 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