Etymologically
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subitus

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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

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