praesumptuosus

Forms

praesūmptuōsus (feminine praesūmptuōsa, neuter praesūmptuōsum); first/second-declension adjective^[1] The TLL takes praesumptiosus for the original spelling, found in the better manuscripts of Leo the Great, Sidonius, Claudianus Mamertus, Caesarius of Arles and Gregory of Tours;^[2] praesumptuosus is printed in the scholia on Horace, Salvian, Gennadius and the Visigothic laws.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin praesūmptiō (“presumption”) + -ōsus.^[2][1] According to the TLL the original spelling was ⟨praesumptiōsus⟩, and manuscripts and editions waver towards ⟨praesumptuōsus⟩ under the influence of sūmptuōsus (“costly”).^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL dates the word from the 5th century.^[2] Salvian uses it in De gubernatione Dei (435–439 AD) of those who rely too much on their own strength.^[4][5][2]

Semantic evolution

It described people too sure of themselves and rash acts.^[2] Sidonius Apollinaris has it in his letters.^[6] In Medieval Latin it meant conceited or audacious, and also refractory or disobedient;^[7] British writers from Alcuin on used it of presumptuous boldness, and as a noun for a presumptuous person.^[8] Italian presuntuoso continues the Late Latin word,^[9] and English presumptuous (mid-14th century) comes from Old French and directly from Late Latin.^[3]

Timeline

• 435–439 AD – Salvian uses it in De gubernatione Dei.^[4][5][2]
• c. 431–486 AD – Sidonius Apollinaris uses it in his letters.^[6][4]
• 967 – An English charter forbids any successor to take the land presumptuously.^[8]
• 1073 – Lanfranc uses it in a letter.^[8]
• mid-14th century – English borrows it as presumptuous.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Presumptuous, arrogant, too sure of oneself; rash.^[2][7][8]
2. (Medieval Latin) Refractory, disobedient, unruly.^[7]
3. (Medieval Latin, as a noun) A presumptuous or arrogant person.^[8]

Related words

• praesūmō
• English presumptuous

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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
9. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier