subitaneus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [sʊ.bɪˈtaː.ne.ʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [su.biˈtaː.ne.us]^[1]

Forms

subitāneus (feminine subitānea, neuter subitāneum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from subitus “sudden” with the suffix -āneus, ⟨subitus⟩ is the participle of subeō “to come up stealthily”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short and Gaffiot cite Columella, of a sudden shower.^[4][5] Köbler's first source is Seneca.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant happening without warning, sudden, as of rain in Columella and Seneca.^[2][4][5] The Vulgate also uses it.^[4]

British Medieval Latin used it for unexpected, sudden, and of sudden death.^[7] Through Vulgar Latin ⟨*subitānus⟩, Old French sodain and Anglo-French sudein it gave English sudden in the late 13th century.^[3]

Timeline

• 1st century AD – Columella uses it.^[4][6]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it.^[4][6]
• late 13th century – English sudden is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Sudden, unexpected.^[2]

Related words

• subitus
• subitō
• English sudden

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
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