negator

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [nɛˈɡaː.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [neˈɡaː.tor]^[1]

Forms

negātor m (genitive negātōris, feminine negātrīx); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin negō (“to deny”) + -tor.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short call it post-classical, citing Tertullian.^[3][4] Köbler dates Tertullian c. 160–220 AD.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant one who denies, a denier, as in Tertullian, Prudentius and Sidonius, and Gaffiot renders Tertullian's and Prudentius' uses as a renegade, apostate.^[2][3][5]

British Medieval Latin used it for one who denies a convention or a legal charge.^[6] It survives in French négateur, Italian negatore and Spanish negador.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it.^[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. One who denies, a denier.^[2]
2. A renegade, apostate.^[5]

Word family

• negātōrius

Related words

• negō
• negātiō

References

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