observabilis

Forms

observābilis (neuter observābile); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin observō + -bilis, from the verb meaning “to watch, heed, observe”.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Seneca has it in De beneficiis,^[2] meaning “that can be observed”: he asks whether the sun has not made the year perceptible by its circuit.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The OLD distinguishes four senses in Classical and Late Latin: perceptible; capable of being guarded against, as Quintilian says of blows that come from behind or in secret; deserving to be respected or observed, of boundary marks in the land surveyors; and, in Apuleius, punctilious, observant.^[2] L&S and Conte take the Apuleius passage as “remarkable” patience instead.^[4][3] L&S counts it as post-Augustan, and quotes the Vulgate's nox ista est observabilis Domini (“this is the night to be observed for the Lord”).^[4]

Ecclesiastical Latin used it for “remarkable, observable”,^[5] and British Medieval Latin for what can or should be followed or kept, such as agreements.^[6] It is the source of Italian osservabile.^[3]

Timeline

• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of the year made perceptible by the sun.^[2][7]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of blows that can be guarded against.^[2][7]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius speaks of observabilis patientia.^[2][4][7]
• 1343 – A British church council text uses it of agreements that are to be kept.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. That can be observed, perceptible.^[2][3]
2. That can be guarded against.^[2]
3. That ought to be respected or observed.^[2][6]
4. Observant, punctilious; or, as others take the same passage, remarkable.^[2][4]

Word family

• inobservābilis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b c 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
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de