poetice

Forms

poēticē (not comparable)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin poēticus (“poetic”) + -ē.^[1][3] The adjective was borrowed from Ancient Greek ποιητικός (poiētikós, “pertaining to poetry”).^[1][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[3] who uses ut poetice loquar, “to speak poetically”, in De finibus.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It means in the manner of poetry or of a poet.^[1][2] Pliny the Younger writes of descriptions of places handled not only as a historian would but almost poetically, and asks why he should not speak poetically with a poet.^[2] Quintilian uses it of a form changed from the plain way of speaking poetically or oratorically, and Petronius has a character told that he speaks more often like a poet than like a human being.^[2][6] Lactantius uses it of wisdom given a poetic figure.^[2]

British medieval writers used it for poetically and for in poetry:^[7] Herbert of Losinga asks for letters written poetically and figuratively, and Roger Bacon says that Boötes is said in poetry to lead the Great Bear.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ut poetice loquar.^[2][3]
• before 66 AD – Petronius uses it of speaking like a poet.^[2][3]
• c. 250–317 AD – Lactantius uses it of wisdom in poetic figure.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In the manner of poetry or of a poet, poetically.^[1][2]
2. (Medieval Latin) In poetry.^[7]

Related words

• poēticus
• poēta
• poēma

Usage notes

A separate noun poēticē, -ēs, the art of poetry, is the Greek form of poētica, from Ancient Greek ποιητική (poiētikḗ);^[2][3] Varro, Nepos and Pliny the Younger use it.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
5. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
6. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ 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