practice

Forms

practicē (adverb)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin practicus (“practical”) + -ē, the adverb of the adjective.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a medieval word: Köbler, after Latham, dates its first record to after 1300.^[1] Duns Scotus writes that God knows “practically” (practice) that man must repent.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In scholastic writing it means “in practice, in action”, as against theoretical knowledge: Wyclif distinguishes a speculative choice from a will to act practice.^[2] Polish medieval texts set it against logice and theorice, as in “etsi non logice, tamen practice” (“if not logically, then in practice”).^[3]

Timeline

• after 1300 – First recorded in Medieval Latin.^[1]

Meanings

Adverb

1. (Medieval Latin) practically, in practice, in action.^[2][3][1]
2. (Medieval Latin) In practice as opposed to theoretically or logically.^[2][3]

Usage notes

A noun practicē (genitive practicēs, feminine), “practice” as opposed to theory, occurs in Cassian's Conferences;^[4] Köbler also records a medieval noun practicē “method, practice”.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d e 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
3. ^ a b c Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.