Etymologically
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minaciter

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Forms

mināciter (comparative minācius, superlative minācissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin mināx (“threatening”) + -ter.[2][3] The adjective is from minae (“threats”),[4] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *men-ā-, first “a part that sticks out” and then “a threat”, from the root of ēmineō (“to stick out”), Proto-Indo-European *m(e)n-eh₁-.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Plautus,[6] whose Stichus has potius leniter quam minaciter, “gently rather than threateningly”.[3][7][8]

Semantic evolution

It means “in a threatening manner, with threats”.[2][3] Cicero uses it of frightening opponents, and in the Philippics asks whether a man spoke more threateningly than he would have acted.[3][7][8] Livy has someone glaring round with fierce eyes, truces minaciter oculos, and Pliny the Younger, Suetonius and Quintilian also use it.[8][3] Ecclesiastical Latin kept it as “by threats, threateningly”.[9] In British medieval Latin, William of Malmesbury writes of ruling subjects mildly and roaring threateningly at enemies.[10]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus contrasts leniter and minaciter.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses the comparative minacius.[3][6]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy writes of eyes rolled threateningly.[8][6]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of demanding something with threats.[3][6]
  • 793 – Alcuin uses it in a letter.[10]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. In a threatening manner, menacingly, with threats.[2][3][9]

References

  1. ^ 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  9. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  10. ^ 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