Etymologically
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respectivus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [rɛs.pɛkˈtiː.wʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [res.pekˈtiː.vus][1]

Forms

respectīvus (feminine respectīva, neuter respectīvum, adverb respectīvē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is Medieval Latin,[2][3] from Latin respiciō (“to look back at; to regard”), formed on its perfect participle ⟨respectus⟩ with the suffix -īvus.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Du Cange cites it from a letter of Pope Innocent III, meaning “referring to something else”.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

In scholastic philosophy it means relative, as opposed to absolute: Roger Bacon contrasts absolute and relative dispositions.[4] For Thomas Aquinas it is a synonym of relativus and relatus.[6] In grammar it describes a word connected with another.[4][1] Niermeyer glosses it “respective, relative”,[7] and another sense Du Cange records is “circumspect, considerate”.[5]

It is the source of Italian rispettivo,[8] and English respective (mid-15th century), first in the sense “relative”, comes from it.[3]

Timeline

  • 1198–1216 – A letter of Innocent III uses it of what refers to something else.[5][2]
  • 1267 – Latham's first date for it.[2]
  • mid-15th century – English takes it over as respective.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) Relative, having relation to something else.[4][7][6]
  2. (Medieval Latin, grammar) Connected grammatically with another word.[4][1]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Particular, respective.[1][9]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Circumspect, considerate.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e 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
  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
  6. ^ a b Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  9. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson