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nuntius

Etymology and origin of the Latin word nuntius

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Confidence
Uncertain
First attested
Naevius

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈnuːn.ti.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnun.t͡si.us][1]

Forms

nūntius m (genitive nūntiī or nūntī, feminine nūntia); second declension[1]

Etymology

It probably goes back to *nountio-, as the old spellings ⟨nountius⟩ and ⟨nontius⟩ show, but the further etymology is unclear.[2] It has been derived from a root *neuH- “to cry”, as in Sanskrit नवते (návate, “cries”), which is not found in Latin, and also from novus “new”.[2][1][3] The OLD derives it from the neuter nūntium “message”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Naevius.[2][5] Plautus has Mercury described as Jupiter's messenger.[4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a messenger or envoy, and also the message itself, an order, warning or report, as in Plautus' “you want to bring me good news”.[4] The phrase nūntium remittere meant to send a notice of divorce.[6] As an adjective it meant announcing or foretelling, of omens and signs.[4]

In medieval Latin it was a witness, a proxy, the emperor's envoy (missus dominicus), a court officer, and in Christian Latin an angel.[7] Italian nuncio gave English nuncio “papal envoy” in the 1520s, and annūntiō “to announce” gave English announce.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus calls Mercury Jupiter's messenger.[4][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[5]
  • 1520s – English nuncio is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A messenger, envoy.[4]
  2. A message; a report, news.[4]
  3. nūntium remittere, to send notice of divorce.[6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A witness; a proxy; a court officer.[7]
  5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) An angel.[7]

Adjective

  1. Announcing, bringing word (of).[4]
  2. Foretelling, prophetic.[4]

Word family

  • adnuntius
  • internūntius
  • nū̆ntia
  • nūntium
  • praenuntius
  • nūntiō
  • English nuncio
  • English announce

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Nuntius.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/nuntius. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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