novus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈnɔ.wʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔː.vus]^[1]

Forms

novus (feminine nova, neuter novum, comparative novior, superlative novissimus, adverb novē or noviter); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *nowo-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *néwos (“new”).^[2][1] Sabellic has a different form, as Umbrian nuvis (“new”), from Proto-Indo-European *neuio-.^[2] Cognate with Hittite newa- (“new”), Sanskrit नव (náva, “new”), Ancient Greek νέος (néos, “new”), Lithuanian naũjas (“new”) and English new.^[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was new, made for the first time, as a new farmhouse in Cato, and young or fresh, as Cicero's new wine.^[3][5] It was unfamiliar or strange, unheard of, unexpected, additional, renewed, and replacing an earlier one, rēs nova was a new turn of events.^[3] Döderlein contrasts it with recēns, recent.^[6]

In medieval Latin dē novō meant “anew” or “recently”, and nova were news.^[7][8] It survives as Italian nuovo, Spanish nuevo, Portuguese novo and Romanian nou.^[1] English novel comes from novellus, and novice from novīcius.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of something strange to him.^[3][4]
• 234–149 BC – Cato speaks of building a new farmhouse.^[3][4]
• mid-14th century – English novice is recorded.^[9]
• 1560s – English novel “story” is recorded, from Italian novella.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. New, fresh, young.^[3][10]
2. Unfamiliar, strange; unheard of.^[3]
3. Unexpected.^[3]
4. Additional, renewed; replacing an earlier one.^[3]
5. Rēs nova, a new development.^[3]
6. (Medieval Latin) Dē novō, anew, nova, news.^[7][8]

Word family

• dēnuō
• novē
• novellus
• novitās
• novō
• nūntius
• renovō

Related words

• nunc
• nūper
• recēns
• English new
• English novel
• English novice

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press