Etymologically
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optatus

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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