legitimus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɫeːˈɡɪ.tɪ.mʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [leˈd͡ʒiː.ti.mus]^[1]

Forms

lēgitimus (feminine lēgitima, neuter lēgitimum, adverb lēgitimē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from the stem of lēx “law”, ⟨lēg-⟩, with the suffix ⟨-timus⟩ (also ⟨-tumus⟩), as in fīnitimus and maritimus, from Proto-Indo-European *-(t)m̥mos.^[1][2][3] The spelling ⟨lēgitumus⟩ occurs in inscriptions.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of what concerns the law.^[2] Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant of or concerning the law, and legally prescribed, statutory, as Cicero's day appointed by law for elections.^[2][5] Of contracts and marriages it meant valid in law, of children born in lawful wedlock, and of actions lawful.^[2] Figuratively it meant prescribed by custom, regular, proper, by the rules of art, as in Horace, and in Ovid genuine, real.^[2] Summa lēgitima was a fee paid on entering a provincial senate.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant legal, legitimate.^[6] In Medieval Latin aetās lēgitima meant full age, and the word meant of age, and lawful, trustworthy, as a witness.^[7] It became Spanish and Portuguese lindo “pretty”, beside the learned legítimo.^[1] English legitimate came in the mid-15th century from Medieval Latin lēgitimātus.^[8]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of the law.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of what is statutory.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of legitimate children and valid contracts.^[2][4]
• mid-15th century – English legitimate is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of the law, legal.^[2]
2. Prescribed by law, statutory; valid in law; of children, legitimate.^[2]
3. Lawful, permitted.^[2]
4. Regular, proper; by the rules of art.^[2]
5. Genuine, real.^[2]
6. (Medieval Latin) Of full age; trustworthy.^[7]

Word family

• illēgitimus
• lēgitimō

Related words

• lēgifer
• lēgitimē
• lēx
• lēgālis
• English legitimate

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 k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com