Etymologically
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periculosus

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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]

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