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natalis

Etymology and origin of the Latin word natalis

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (nāscor)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [naːˈtaː.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [naˈtaː.lis][1]

Forms

nātālis (neuter nātāle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from nātus “born”, the participle of nāscor, with the suffix -ālis.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, in diēs nātālis “birthday”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant of birth, and of places native, as in Horace, and in Columella inborn, diēs nātālis was the day of one's birth or its anniversary, as in Plautus.[2] As a noun it meant a birthday, in Ovid, the day a thing was made, the genius worshipped on one's birthday, in Tibullus, a place of origin, birth, a horoscope, and in Seneca, in the plural, parentage.[2]

In Christian Latin nātāle was the birth of Christ, Christmas, and the anniversary of a saint's death, his birth into heaven.[5][6] Nātālis Dominī meant Christmas.[4] It survives in Italian natale and, through Old French noel, gave English Noel in the late 14th century; English natal came directly from Latin about the same time.[1][3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses diēs nātālis.[2][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of native places.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English natal and Noel are recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of birth, natal; native.[2]
  2. diēs nātālis, a birthday.[2]
  3. Inborn.[2]

Noun

  1. A birthday; a day of making.[2]
  2. The genius of one's birthday.[2]
  3. A birthplace; birth; a horoscope.[2]
  4. In the plural, parentage.[2]
  5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Christmas; a saint's feast day.[5][6]

Word family

  • nātālicius

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Natalis.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/natalis. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·