Etymologically
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Forms

largē (comparative largius, superlative largissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin largus (“generous, abundant”) + -ē, the adverb of the adjective.[2][1] The origin of largus is uncertain: de Vaan doubts that its long vowel is original, which weakens Walde and Hofmann's derivation from a stem meaning “fat, bacon”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first example in the OLD is in Plautus, of a man who flatters generously.[2]

Semantic evolution

It means generously or liberally, and in large amounts, abundantly, as Cicero's food supplied abundantly without labour.[2] It also means to a great extent, as in Varro's remark that Accius began to depart further from old usage.[2] Church Latin glosses it “largely, abundantly, plentifully”.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of generous flattery.[2][5]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro of departing further from old usage.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of food supplied abundantly.[2][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Generously, liberally, munificently.[2][1]
  2. Abundantly, copiously.[2][4][1]
  3. To a great extent.[2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de