Etymologically
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serenus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [sɛˈreː.nʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [seˈrɛː.nus][1]

Forms

serēnus (feminine serēna, neuter serēnum, adverb serēnē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *(k)seró- (“dry”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *Kseh₁-ró- (“dry”), built like serēscō “to become dry” on an unattested stative verb *serē- “to be dry”.[2][1][3] Cognate with Ancient Greek ξηρός (xērós, “dry, arid”) and Old High German serawēn (“to dry out”).[2][4] The short /e/ may be due to shortening before the accent.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.[2] Ennius describes thunder on the left in clear weather.[4][5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was of the sky and weather clear, cloudless and fine, as Cicero's caelō serēnō, and of winds bringing fair weather.[4][6][1] Of colours and liquids it was clear and pure, and of a face or mind calm, cheerful and untroubled.[4][1] As a noun serēnum was fair weather.[7]

It was also a name, as Annaeus Serenus, Seneca's friend.[6] Through Old French serein it gave English serene, first of a clear, calm day.[3] Italian serenata “evening song”, from sereno “open air”, gave serenade.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][8]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of fair weather.[4][8]
  • mid-15th century – English serene is recorded of a day.[3]
  • 1640s – English serenade is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Clear, cloudless, fair, fine (of the sky, weather).[4][5]
  2. Clear, pure (of colours, liquids).[4]
  3. Serene, calm, cheerful, untroubled.[4][1]

Word family

  • inserēnus
  • serēnificus
  • serēnitās
  • serēnō
  • serēnum
  • serēscō
  • serēnē
  • serēnifer

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de