Etymologically
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orthodoxus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɔr.tʰɔˈdɔk.sʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [or.toˈdɔk.sus][1]

Forms

orthodoxus (feminine orthodoxa, neuter orthodoxum, comparative orthodoxior, superlative orthodoxissimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ὀρθόδοξος (orthódoxos, “having the right opinion, orthodox”).[2][1][3][4] Köbler connects the first part with ὀρθός (orthós, “right, correct”) and the second with δοκεῖν (dokeîn, “to think, believe”).[2]

Augustine already explained the Greek word as meaning “right” in Latin, and Isidore of Seville took its parts as “rightly” and “glory”, defining the orthodox man as one who believes rightly and lives as he believes.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL finds it from the 4th century on, most often in Jerome and in the acts of church councils and the letters of bishops, while Augustine has it only twice.[5] It meant orthodox, holding the right Christian belief.[5][6]

Semantic evolution

Augustine says that Christians were called catholic or orthodox, that is, keepers of integrity.[5] The Code of Justinian speaks of an orthodox religion and an orthodox church.[6][7] In Medieval Latin it was used of persons, of the church and of the faith, and also as a noun for one who holds the right belief.[8][2] English borrowed it in the mid-15th century, first of theological opinions.[4]

Timeline

  • 4th century AD – The word comes into use in Christian Latin.[5]
  • c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it often.[5][2]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine explains it as a name of catholic Christians.[5][2]
  • 528–534 AD – The Code of Justinian has it of religion and the church.[6][2]
  • c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville explains it as “believing rightly”.[5][2]
  • second half of the 11th century–1109 – Anselm of Canterbury uses it as a noun, “an orthodox Christian”.[2]
  • mid-15th century – English borrows it as orthodox.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Late Latin, Ecclesiastical Latin) orthodox, holding the right belief; of persons, of the church or of the faith.[6][5][8][9]

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) An orthodox Christian, one who holds the right belief.[8][2]

Usage notes

Manuscripts often spell it ortod- or hort(h)od-.[5] The adverb orthodoxē is late.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  6. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill