missivus

Forms

missīvus (feminine missīva, neuter missīvum); first/second-declension adjective^[1][2]

Etymology

It is a medieval formation from Latin mittō (“to send”),^[1][3] made on its past participle ⟨missus⟩,^[4][3] with the suffix -īvus.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest dated record is in an Oxford formulary of 1364, de litteris missivis “on letters missive”.^[5][1]

Semantic evolution

Its main use was in litterae missivae, official letters sent to a particular addressee, common in the 15th and 16th centuries in England, Poland and Hungary.^[5][2][6] A Hungarian charter of 1369 also has a sigillum missivum, a seal used for such letters.^[6] A glossary uses it in the sense “that can be thrown”, of spicula missiva “darts”.^[4]

English took the adjective in lettres missives in the mid-15th century and made the noun missive by about 1500;^[3] Italian missiva is from the same medieval Latin word.^[7]

Timeline

• 1364 – An Oxford formulary has litterae missivae.^[5][1]
• 1369 – A Hungarian charter grants a secret and missive seal.^[6]
• 1412 – A Polish document reproduces a litera missiva of the commander of Toruń.^[2]
• mid-15th century – English borrows it as an adjective, in lettres missives.^[3]
• 1472 – English royal letters missive are sealed with the king's sign manual and signet.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Sent, missive: litterae missivae, letters missive, an official letter sent to a named addressee.^[5][2][6]
2. Meant for sending: sigillum missivum, the seal used on such letters.^[6]
3. That can be thrown.^[4]

Related words

• English missive

References

1. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
5. ^ a b c d e 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
6. ^ a b c d e Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
7. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier