pure

Forms

pūrē (comparative pūrius, superlative pūrissimē, adjective pūrus)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin pūrus (“clean, pure”) + -ē.^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces pūrus to Proto-Italic *pūro- (“pure”) and Proto-Indo-European *ph₂ú-ro- (“clear, cleansed”), cognate with Old Irish úr (“green, fresh”) and with Sanskrit पुनाति (punā́ti, “cleans”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Plautus,^[3] who in the Aulularia has someone told to wash the vessels clean inside, and in the Asinaria uses it of nights spent chastely.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is cleanly, so as to be clean.^[2] In religion it means with ritual purity: Cicero says that worship must be offered to the gods purely and chastely.^[2] Of a way of life it means innocently, uprightly, as in Cicero's calm old age after a life lived quietly, purely and elegantly,^[2] and of sex, chastely, as in Plautus.^[2] It also means with a clear, bright surface: Horace speaks of Glycera's beauty shining more brightly than marble.^[2] Varro uses it of words arranged neatly,^[2] and of style it means plainly and clearly: Cicero has a case pleaded without display, plainly and lucidly.^[2] It also means genuinely or perfectly, as in Horace's question of what brings true peace of mind,^[2] and in law unconditionally, as in Gaius.^[2] The OLD also records a form pūriter.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of washing vessels clean and of chaste nights.^[2][3]
• 116–27 BC – Varro of words arranged neatly.^[2]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of worship offered purely and of a plain style.^[2]
• 65–8 BC – Horace of Glycera's brightness.^[2]
• 140–180 AD – Gaius in the legal sense "unconditionally".^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Cleanly, so as to be clean.^[2][1]
2. With ritual purity; innocently, uprightly; chastely.^[2]
3. Brightly, clearly, with an unclouded surface.^[2][1]
4. Neatly;^[2][1] (of style) plainly, without ornament, lucidly.^[2][1]
5. Genuinely, perfectly;^[2][1] (law) unconditionally.^[2][1]

Related words

• pūrus
• pūrgō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill