sensatus

Forms

sēnsātus (feminine sēnsāta, neuter sēnsātum, adverb sēnsātē); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sēnsus (“sense, faculty of sensation”) + -ātus.^[1][2][3] Wiktionary explains the missing ⟨u⟩ of the u-stem by the drift of such words to o-stem patterns.^[1] The noun belongs to sentiō (“to sense, feel”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Conte's earliest example, meaning sensible or judicious, is from Cyprian's Testimonia.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

Firmicus Maternus uses it of clever, shrewd people, beside callidi and astuti,^[2][3] and the Vulgate several times of the wise; its adverb sensate means sensibly.^[2][7] Medieval Latin used it of persons, sensible and judicious, and of things, reasonable or meaningful.^[8] In British sources it also meant endowed with the senses, sentient, and as a noun a sensible person.^[9] English sensate (mid-15th century) is from it.^[10]

Timeline

• 3rd century AD – Cyprian uses it for sensible.^[5][6]
• 343/350 AD – Firmicus Maternus uses it of shrewd people.^[2][6]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of the wise, with the adverb sensate.^[2][6]
• mid-15th century – English borrows it as sensat, “endowed with sense”.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Gifted with sense; sensible, intelligent, wise.^[2][3][7]
2. (Medieval Latin) Of things: reasonable, meaningful.^[8]
3. (Medieval Latin) Endowed with the senses, sentient.^[9]

Word family

• īnsēnsātus

Related words

• English sensate

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b 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
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com