obscuritas

Forms

obscūritās f (genitive obscūritātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin obscūrus (“dark”) + -tās.^[2][1][3] The origin of obscūrus is disputed: it is unclear whether the adjective is to be divided ⟨ob-scūrus⟩ or ⟨obs-cūrus⟩, and de Vaan tentatively reconstructs Proto-Italic *skoi-ro- and Proto-Indo-European *skoh₂-i-ro- (“dark, shady”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Varro.^[4] In Cicero it is the lack of clarity of a narrative, in his early work on rhetorical invention.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short find the literal sense of darkness perhaps only after Augustus, the figurative sense of obscurity or uncertainty in classical Latin.^[5] The OLD has darkness, as in Curtius, and in the plural patches of shadow, which Vitruvius says high party walls and narrow sites make in a city.^[2] Pliny the Elder uses it of dimness of sight.^[2] Figuratively it is unintelligibility, and an obscure situation: Cicero writes of a time of obscurity and doubt for everyone.^[2] It is also being unknown or unnoticed, and humble birth: Cicero says one man's deeds cast the praises of others into the shade.^[2] Church Latin uses it of spiritual darkness.^[6] English obscurity dates from the late 15th century, from obscure or from Old French and Latin.^[7]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro.^[4][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of an unclear narrative and of obscurity of rank.^[2][3]
• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of shadows in a city.^[2][3]
• 1st century AD – Curtius of darkness.^[2][3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of dimness of sight.^[2][3]
• late 15th century – English obscurity.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. Darkness;^[2][5][1] in the plural, patches of shadow.^[2]
2. Dimness of sight.^[2][5]
3. Lack of clarity, unintelligibility, obscurity; an obscure situation.^[2][5][1]
4. Being unknown or unnoticed; humble birth or rank.^[2][5]
5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Spiritual darkness.^[6]

Related words

• obscūrus
• English obscurity

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g 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 d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com