Etymologically
Log in

optatus

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word optatus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
190–159 BC, Terence
Ultimate origin
Latin (optō)

Forms

optātus (feminine optāta, neuter optātum, comparative optātior, superlative optātissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1][2]

Etymology

It is the past participle of optō (“to choose; to wish”), used as an adjective.[1][3][4] De Vaan derives ⟨optō⟩ from Proto-Italic *opeje- (“to choose, grab”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₁op-eie-, cognate with Umbrian upetu (“let him choose”); he compares Hittite epp- (“to take, grab”) and perhaps apīscor (“to reach, get”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Terence has an occāsiō optāta, a longed-for opportunity,[2] and Köbler dates it from Cicero.[4]

Semantic evolution

It means wished for, desired, welcome: Cicero has welcome rumours, Horace the banquets of Jupiter, and Caesar a most welcome favour.[2][6] Its neuter optātum became a noun, a wish, from Terence on, as “may the gods grant you all you wish”, Cicero's praeter optātum meum, against my wish, and mihi in optātīs est, it is my wish.[2][1] In the language of ritual the hostia optāta was the victim the aedile chose from three that were set out.[3]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence of a longed-for opportunity and of wishes.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of welcome news.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar of a most welcome favour.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Wished for, desired, longed for; welcome, pleasing.[1][2][6]

Noun

  1. optātum: a wish, the object of one's desire.[1][2]

Usage notes

Optātus was also a Roman cognomen.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b Simpson, D. P. (1959), Cassell's New Latin Dictionary, London: Cassell
  7. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
Cite this entry

“Optatus.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/optatus. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·