rapide

Forms

rapidē (comparative rapidius, superlative rapidissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin rapidus (“swift”) + -ē.^[2] De Vaan lists ⟨rapidus⟩ among the derivatives of rapiō (“to seize”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *rap-i- (“to seize”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₁rp-i- (“to seize”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero has it first,^[4] in On the Laws, of the river Fibrenus, which runs down swiftly before joining into one stream.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Besides physical speed, Cicero used it of a passionate style of speaking delivered at a rush, and in the speech for Scaurus of things undertaken in disorder, haste and hurry.^[2] The comparative rapidius appears in Tacitus and in Frontinus of troops advancing faster.^[2]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a river and of a passionate delivery.^[2][4]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses the comparative rapidius of a general's march.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. With rapid movement, hastily.^[2][1]
2. Of other processes: quickly, rapidly.^[2][1]

Related words

• rapiō

References

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