robustus

Forms

rōbustus (feminine rōbusta, neuter rōbustum, comparative rōbustior, superlative rōbustissimus); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin rōbur (“oak, hard wood; strength”) + -tus.^[2][1] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ⟨rōbur⟩, which he traces to Proto-Italic *rouþos (“red substance”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₁reudʰ-os (“redness”), cognate with Ancient Greek ἔρευθος (éreuthos, “redness”): the heart of the oak was apparently called “red”.^[3] He takes its ⟨ō⟩ for a dialectal, non-Roman trait, so that the base was borrowed from a neighbouring dialect.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Cato,^[3] who in his work on farming prescribes posts “of oak or of pine”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is “made of oak, oaken”, used by Cato, Varro and Horace of posts, timber and doors.^[2][4] It was soon used of people and animals, “strong, robust”: Cicero contrasts the fairly firm with the most robust, and Catullus has a sturdy neck.^[2] From there it meant grown up, physically mature, and of style full and vigorous.^[2] It was also said of armies, strong food, firm soil and hardy grain, and of qualities that resist change.^[2]

Church Latin glosses it “strong, mighty, firm, robust”.^[5] English robust (1540s) comes from it, partly through French robuste.^[6]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato of oak posts.^[2][7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of strong men, a mature age and a vigorous style.^[2][7]
• 1540s – English robust.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Made of oak, oaken.^[2][4][1]
2. Physically strong, robust; of a voice, powerful; of food, nourishing.^[2][1][5]
3. Grown up, mature; of style, full and vigorous.^[2]
4. Strong in arms.^[2]
5. Of materials, firm, solid; of qualities, durable, hard to change.^[2][1]

Word family

• rōbusteus

Related words

• rōborārium
• rōborascō
• rōborātus
• rōboreus
• rōborō
• rōbur
• rōburneus
• rōbus
• rōbustē
• English robust

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes ⟨validus⟩, strong in an active sense (able to do something), from firmus and robustus, strong in a passive sense (able to endure).^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper