Etymologically
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pacificus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word pacificus

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (pāx,faciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [paːˈkɪ.fɪ.kʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [paˈt͡ʃiː.fi.kus][1]

Forms

pācificus (feminine pācifica, neuter pācificum, adverb pācificē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from pāx “peace” and -ficus “making”, from faciō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant making peace, tending to peace.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant peaceful, quiet, at rest.[5] Medieval Latin used it for peace-loving and for what brings peace to the soul.[6] British Medieval Latin used it of what leads to peace or friendship, and the neuter plural for peace offerings.[7] It was borrowed into Italian pacifico and French pacifique, and through French it gave English pacific in the 1540s, “tending to make peace”.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[4]
  • 1540s – English pacific is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Peacemaking, pacific.[2]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Peaceful, peace-loving.[5][6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) As a noun, peace offerings.[7]

Word family

  • impacificus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b 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
Cite this entry

“Pacificus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/pacificus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·