renegatus

Forms

renegātus m (genitive renegātī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Medieval Latin renegō (“to deny, renounce”), the noun use of its past participle.^[2][1] The verb is formed from re- and negō (“to deny, refuse”).^[2] The verb is reconstructed for Proto-Romance with the meaning “to deny, renounce, disown”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates its first record to 1166.^[1] It names an apostate, one who has abandoned their faith.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

Niermeyer records it both as an adjective and as a noun meaning “apostate, renegade”.^[4] Du Cange cites a charter of James II of Aragon of 1242 on Jews and pagans who come to the Catholic faith.^[5] English took it directly as renegate in the late 14th century, and in the 1580s as renegade, probably through Spanish renegado, first said of a Christian turned Muslim.^[2]

Timeline

• 1166 – First record of the noun.^[1]
• 1242 – A charter of James II of Aragon uses it of those who forsook their religion.^[5]
• late 14th century – English borrows it as renegate.^[2]
• 1580s – English renegade appears, probably through Spanish.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) An apostate, a renegade.^[4][5][1]

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) Apostate.^[4]

Related words

• negātiō
• abnegō
• English renegade
• English renege

References

1. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
4. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c d du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre