Etymologically
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nobilitas

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [noːˈbɪ.lɪ.taːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [noˈbiː.li.tas][1]

Forms

nōbilitās f (genitive nōbilitātis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin nōbilis (“well known, noble”) + -tās.[2][1][3] nōbilis, archaic ⟨gnōbilis⟩, is made from nōscō (“to get to know”) with ⟨-bilis⟩;[2][1][4] de Vaan derives nōscō from Proto-Italic *gnōske- and Proto-Indo-European *ǵnh₃-sḱé- (“to know”), cognate with Ancient Greek γιγνώσκω (gignṓskō).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[4] who has eam nōbilitātem āmittendam videō, “I see that I must lose that distinction”, and volūī … meam nōbilitātem occultāre et genus et dīvitiās, “I wished to hide my rank, my family and my wealth”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Nōbilitās is “renown, celebrity” (Terence) and “distinction”, and above all “noble rank or birth” (Plautus, Cicero), and so the nobles as a body.[2][5][1][6] It also means nobility of character, “excellence, heroism” (Cicero of the Decii: nōbilitās mortis, “the nobility of their death”), and of things “superior quality” (Cicero of statues of the highest workmanship).[2]

Church Latin glosses it “nobility, noble birth, excellence, worth”.[7] Medieval Latin adds “a title of honour” and “a nobleman's castle”.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: eam nōbilitātem āmittendam videō.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of renown.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: nōbilitās mortis.[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. renown, celebrity, fame.[2][5][1]
  2. Distinction.[2]
  3. Noble birth or rank; the nobility.[2][5][1][7]
  4. Nobleness, excellence (of character).[2][1][7]
  5. Superior quality (of things).[2]
  6. (Medieval Latin) A title of honour;[6] a nobleman's castle.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson