Etymologically
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pie

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈpi.ɛ], [ˈpi.eː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈpiː.e], [ˈpiː.e][1]

Forms

piē (superlative piissimē); adverb[2] A comparative piius was not used;[3] magis piē and maximē piē take its place.[3]

Etymology

It is from Latin pius (“dutiful, devout”) + -ē.[2][4] De Vaan traces pius to Proto-Italic *pwījo- and Proto-Indo-European *puH-io- (“purifying”), comparing Oscan piíhiúí (“pious”); how ⟨*puH-io-⟩ became ⟨pius⟩ is disputed.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero.[4] Gaffiot cites De natura deorum for its sense piously.[6]

Semantic evolution

It is with all the proper observances, dutifully: Gaffiot separates the senses piously, religiously; as natural feeling bids, as a good son or mother; and with affection, all in Cicero.[2][6] Georges sets it against scelerātē, wickedly.[3] Seneca and Ammianus have the superlative.[3] Niermeyer records it in medieval texts, piously, and Church Latin also glosses it mercifully.[7][8]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of piety and filial duty.[6][4]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca has the superlative.[3][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Piously, devoutly; with all the proper observances.[2][1][6][8]
  2. Dutifully, as a son or parent should; affectionately.[2][6][1]
  3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Mercifully.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d 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 c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson