providenter

Forms

prōvidenter (comparative prōvidentius, superlative prōvidentissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin prōvidēns (“foreseeing”) + -ter,^[2][1] the present participle of prōvideō (“to foresee, take precautions”),^[1][3] itself a compound of prō- (“forward”) and videō (“to see”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler and Georges date it from Cicero,^[3][4] but the TLL takes Cicero's superlative prōvidentissimē in the De natura deorum as a false reading for prūdentissimē, and the two adverbs are confused in manuscripts.^[5] Conte cites both Cicero and Sallust's Jugurtha^[6] for the meaning “with foresight, prudently”.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

The superlative prōvidentissimē is found from Pliny the Younger on,^[5] who tells the emperor in a letter that he very wisely fears a lake may drain away.^[5] Ulpian writes that a law has providently brought something about,^[5] and the comparative appears in a declamation ascribed to Quintilian and, ironically, in Tertullian.^[5][4]

Cyprian and Prudentius use it in Christian writing,^[5] and Augustine has the superlative.^[4] In medieval Britain Bede uses it of what happens by design, not by chance, and glossaries explain it as acting in a providential or prudent manner.^[7]

Timeline

• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it in the Jugurtha.^[6][3]
• before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of a law.^[5][3]
• beginning of 3rd century–258 AD – Cyprian uses it in his treatise on the Lord's Prayer.^[5][3]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses the superlative.^[4][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. With foresight, prudently, carefully.^[2][6][4]
2. (Medieval Latin) In a providential manner, by design.^[7]

Related words

• prōvideō
• prōvidus

Usage notes

Manuscripts often confuse it with prūdenter.^[5]

References

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