Etymologically
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spontaneus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [spɔnˈtaː.ne.ʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [sponˈtaː.ne.us][1]

Forms

spontāneus (feminine spontānea, neuter spontāneum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin sponte + -āneus, “of one's own accord”,[1][2] the ablative of spōns “free will”, which Etymonline notes is attested in the genitive singular ⟨spontis⟩.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis and Short call it Late Latin.[2] Arnobius, writing in 297–310 AD, has it of “spontaneous” kindnesses of the gods.[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant done of one's own free will, voluntary:[2][4][6] Augustine and Macrobius speak of a voluntary death,[4] and the Code of Justinian has voluntas for free will in this phrase.[2] The adverb spontāneē “willingly” is found from Theodorus Priscianus and the Vulgate.[2]

In Medieval Latin it described a person acting of their own free will, a will that is free and unforced, but also someone willing or favourably inclined, and someone obstinately self-willed.[7][8] Petrarch writes of a voluntary exile in 1347, and Luther uses it of obliging people.[9] English formed spontaneous from it in the 1650s.[3]

Timeline

  • 297–310 AD – Arnobius speaks of spontaneous kindnesses of the gods.[2][4][5]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it of a voluntary death and of war.[4][5]
  • c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it.[5]
  • first half of the 5th century AD – Macrobius uses it.[2][6][5]
  • 1347 – Petrarch writes of a voluntary exile.[9]
  • 1650s – English forms spontaneous from it.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Done of one's own free will, voluntary, spontaneous.[2][4][6][10]
  2. (with voluntās) Free, unforced.[2][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Willing, favourably inclined, obliging.[7][9]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Wilful, obstinately self-willed.[7]

Usage notes

The adverb is spontāneē, “voluntarily, of one's own mind”.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b c Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  10. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson