subitus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsʊ.bɪ.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsuː.bi.tus]^[1]

Forms

subitus (feminine subita, neuter subitum, adverb subitō); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is apparently the perfect passive participle of subeō “to come up, approach”, that is “come up stealthily”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of what happens without warning.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant sudden, unexpected, of events, from Accius with adverbial force, and in Martial of persons or things suddenly appearing.^[2] As a neuter noun it meant an emergency, as in Pliny the Elder, and per subitum suddenly.^[2] In Cicero it meant hasty, impetuous, and of speech improvised, subitae dictiōnēs “impromptu speeches”, and in Ovid made in a hurry.^[2][4] In Tacitus it meant hastily raised troops.^[2] Döderlein explains that subitus means sudden as opposed to foreseen, while repēns is opposed to expected.^[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant sudden, unexpected.^[6] Its adverb subitō survives in Italian subito, and Vulgar Latin subitānus, from it, gave Old French sodain and English sudden in the late 13th century.^[1][7] English subitize was coined from it in 1949.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of sudden events.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of improvised speeches.^[2][4][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of hastily raised troops.^[2][3]
• late 13th century – English sudden is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Sudden, unexpected; suddenly appearing.^[2]
2. As a noun, an emergency, per subitum, suddenly.^[2]
3. Hasty, impetuous.^[2]
4. Hurriedly made, improvised; extempore; of troops, hastily raised.^[2]

Word family

• subitāneus

Related words

• subito
• subeō
• English sudden

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from repēns, sudden as opposed to expected.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com