obviam

Forms

obviam (not comparable)^[1] It is also written ob viam.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from ob “towards, in front of” and viam, accusative of via “way”.^[2][4][5] De Vaan traces ⟨via⟩ to Proto-Italic *wijā- (“road”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of going to meet someone.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

With verbs of motion it meant into someone's path, so as to meet, as in Plautus and Cicero's obviam fierī “to meet”, obviam īre was to face up to a danger or take countermeasures against it, as in Cicero.^[2][7] Without motion it meant in one's path, within reach, to hand.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant on the way, towards, against.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it with the dative, so as to meet, facing.^[9] Its adjective obvius gave English obvious in the 1580s.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero has obviam īre “to face up to”.^[2][4]
• 1580s – English obvious, from obvius, is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In the way, so as to meet: obviam īre to go to meet.^[2]
2. obviam īre To face up to, counter.^[2]
3. In one's path, within reach.^[2]

Related words

• obvius
• via
• English obvious

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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