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sospes

Etymology and origin of the Latin word sospes

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Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsɔs.pɛs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɔs.pes][1]

Forms

sospes (genitive sospitis); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.[2][3][4] Wiktionary follows de Vaan's tentative *swe-spat- “self-prospering”, a compound of the reflexive stem *swe- and the root of spēs “hope”.[1][2] Meier-Brügger's link with Sanskrit स्वस्ति (svastí-, “welfare”) and a compound like hospes is impossible for de Vaan.[2] The old forms sispes and seispes are found in the cult title of Juno.[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, who has seen a son alive, safe and sound.[2][4][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant safe and sound, unscathed, as Plautus' vīvum, salvum et sospitem “alive, safe and sound” and his wish for a safe journey, mostly in poetry.[3] In early Latin it also meant “saviour”, as Ennius uses it, and Juno of Lanuvium was worshipped as Sospita, the Saviour, spelled Seispita in inscriptions.[6][3]

Döderlein says salvus was the ordinary word and sospes the choice one for being safe from death.[7] Medieval writers also used it of being restored to health.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus sees a son alive, safe and sound.[3][4]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a saviour.[6][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it in poetry.[5][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Safe and sound, unscathed.[3]
  2. (early Latin) Saving; a saviour, Iūnō Sospita, Juno the Saviour.[6][3]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Restored to health.[8]

Word family

  • Sospita
  • sospitās
  • sospitō

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes salvus and sospes (safe, not killed) from incolumis and integer (unhurt, undamaged).[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d 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 f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  8. ^ 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
Cite this entry

“Sospes.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/sospes. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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