Etymologically
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nubilis

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈnuː.bɪ.lɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈnuː.bi.lis][1]

Forms

nūbilis (neuter nūbile); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin nūbō (“to marry (of a woman)”) + -ilis.[2][1] Wiktionary also allows -bilis, with ⟨-bibi-⟩ reduced to ⟨-bi-⟩ by haplology.[1] De Vaan reconstructs the verb as Proto-Italic *(s)nū/ouf-e/o- but finds its further origin uncertain: a link with Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride”) must be dismissed, the comparison with a Slavic verb for courting is weakened because that verb is used of the man, and Ernout and Meillet's explanation as “to take the veil”, after obnūbō (“to cover”), is attractive in meaning but cannot be proven.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Cicero,[4] who uses it of a grown daughter of marriageable age.[5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

It is said of a girl or woman, and also of the years of life: Nepos and Livy have virgo nubilis, Virgil a girl plenis nubilis annis, ripe for marriage in her full years, and Ovid nubiles anni.[5][6][2] Medieval writers in Britain use it in the same way, of a woman of marriageable age and of the years fit for marriage.[8]

English borrowed it in the 1640s as nubile, of a woman of marriageable age.[9]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a grown daughter.[5][6][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil has plenis nubilis annis.[5][7][4]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid speaks of nubiles anni.[5][4]
  • 1640s – English borrows it as nubile.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (of a woman) Of an age to marry, marriageable;[2][5] (of the years of life) suitable for marriage.[2][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com