rectus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈreːk.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈrɛk.tus]^[1]

Forms

rēctus (feminine rēcta, neuter rēctum, comparative rēctior, superlative rēctissimus, adverb rēctē); first/second-declension participle^[1]

Etymology

It is the perfect participle of regō “to direct, rule”, from Proto-Italic *rektos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵtós, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, direct”).^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of a straight route and of proper conduct.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant straight as opposed to crooked, and intestīnum rēctum the rectum, as in Varro, and of a route direct, rēctā viā “by the direct road”, as Terence's rēctā.^[2][4] It meant moving in a straight line, straightforward, of expression direct, and in Gaius not through an intermediary.^[2] It meant facing squarely, upright, vertical, angulus rēctus a right angle, as in Seneca, and in Varro's grammar cāsus rēctus the nominative.^[2] Of bearing it meant erect, and in Tacitus unbiased.^[2] It meant right, proper, as in Plautus, and cēna rēcta a regular dinner, correct, true, and in Terence morally right, rēctum moral rectitude, and of persons upright.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant right, correct, upright, just, steadfast, direct.^[5] Medieval Latin used it of orthodox faith, and rēctum of the law and of justice done.^[6] It survives in Italian retto and ritto, and English rectus is a learned borrowing.^[1] English recto (1814) comes from its ablative in rēctō foliō.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a direct route and of right conduct.^[2][3]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of moral rightness.^[2][3]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses intestīnum rēctum and cāsus rēctus.^[2][3]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses angulus rēctus.^[2][3]
• 1814 – English recto is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Straight, intestīnum rēctum, the rectum.^[2]
2. Of a route, direct, rēctā, straight.^[2]
3. Straightforward, direct.^[2]
4. Upright, vertical, angulus rēctus, a right angle.^[2]
5. (grammar) cāsus rēctus, the nominative.^[2]
6. Erect; unbiased.^[2]
7. Right, proper; correct.^[2]
8. Morally right, rēctum, rectitude; upright.^[2]

Related words

• regō
• rēgula
• English rectum
• English recto
• English right

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com