Etymologically
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stulte

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈstʊɫ.teː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈstul.te][1]

Forms

stultē (comparative stultius, superlative stultissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin stultus (“foolish”) + -ē, the adverb of the adjective.[2][1] De Vaan files stultus under stolidus (“dull, stupid”): it may reflect ⟨*stl-to-⟩, but its further origin is uncertain;[3] Pokorny derives both adjectives from Proto-Indo-European *stel- (“to place”), so that they would first have meant “inert, standing still”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Terence,[4] who has haud stulte sapis, “you are no fool”.[5]

Semantic evolution

It means stupidly, foolishly or unintelligently,[2] the opposite of prudenter and sapienter.[5] Georges records it in the comic poets and in Cicero.[5]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses haud stulte “not foolishly”.[5][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[5][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Foolishly, stupidly, unintelligently.[2][1][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn