lenitudo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɫeː.nɪˈtuː.doː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [le.niˈtuː.do]^[1]

Forms

lēnitūdō f (genitive lēnitūdinis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin lēnis (“soft, gentle”) + -tūdō.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨lēnis⟩ to Proto-Italic *lēni-, from Proto-Indo-European *leh₁-n(o/i)- (“lazy, slow”), keeping the connection with Balto-Slavic ⟨*lēnos⟩ “lazy”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Pacuvius, quoted by Cicero, lēnitūdō ōrātiōnis “gentleness of speech”.^[4][5] Köbler dates Pacuvius 220–130 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Very rare, it meant softness, mildness, gentleness, calmness, as in Pacuvius, Cicero's Verrines and Ammianus.^[2][5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for excessive gentleness.^[7]

Timeline

• 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it.^[5][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[6][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Mildness, gentleness.^[2][5]

Related words

• lēnis
• lēnitās

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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