periculosus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [pɛ.riː.kʊˈɫoː.sʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [pe.ri.kuˈlɔː.s̬us]^[1]

Forms

perīculōsus (feminine perīculōsa, neuter perīculōsum, superlative perīculōsissimus, adverb perīculōsē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin perīculum (“trial, risk, danger”) + -ōsus.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Cato, “dangerous”.^[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant of actions or situations dangerous, hazardous, perilous, as in Cato and Cicero, and in nōsmet ipsōs perīculōsī “dangerous to ourselves”; and of an argument risky, open to error, as in Cicero.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means dangerous, perilous.^[5] English perilous (c. 1300) is from it through Old French, and it survives as Italian pericoloso, Spanish peligroso and Portuguese perigoso.^[6][1]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of risky arguments.^[2][3]
• c. 1300 – English perilous is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Dangerous, hazardous, perilous.^[2][4]
2. Risky, liable to error (of an argument).^[2]

Related words

• perīculum
• experior
• English perilous

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com