putativus

Forms

putātīvus, putātīva, putātīvum (first and second declension)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin putō (“to think, suppose”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in Tertullian, against heretics who held that Christ's flesh was only apparent, which he calls caro putativa.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The TLL notes that it is lacking in Cyprian, Ambrose and Augustine; it means what is thought to be so but is not, close to “feigned” or “imaginary”, and is often set against “true”.^[3] Jerome uses it of heresies that claim Christ's flesh was only apparent.^[3] The adverb putātīvē is found in Jerome and Hilary.^[1] In Medieval Latin it meant “supposed, presumed”, as in the law of Bracton and of a supposed father.^[5][6] English putative was used at first especially of a putative marriage, one contracted in good faith though legally invalid.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of the merely apparent flesh of Christ in heretical teaching.^[3][7]
• c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it in the same debate.^[3][7]
• 1239–1256 – Bracton speaks of a true or putative cause of a transfer of ownership.^[5][7]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as putative.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Imaginary, only apparent, not real.^[3][1][8]
2. (Medieval Latin) Supposed, presumed, putative; of a reputed father.^[5][6]

Related words

• putō
• English putative

Usage notes

Conte traces Italian putativo to the Late Latin word.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
2. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c d e f g Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier