successus

Forms

successus m (genitive successūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin succedo (“to go up to, succeed”) + -tus.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Caesar uses it of the enemy's approach, which, with the shortness of time, hindered the Romans.^[2][3] Köbler dates Caesar c. 50 BC, though he gives Virgil as its first author.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was the action of coming up close, an advance, and Virgil uses it of the running of horses.^[2][5] Virgil also uses it of success in an undertaking, as Coroebus exulting in success, and Varro and Livy of a successful outcome.^[2] Arnobius uses it of a place one goes down into, a cave.^[6][5]

In medieval Latin it meant an inheritance.^[7] English success is recorded in the 1530s as “result, outcome”.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of an approach.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a good outcome.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of success.^[2][4]
• 1530s – English success is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. An approach, advance.^[2][3]
2. success in an undertaking.^[2][1]
3. A good outcome.^[2]
4. (Late Latin) A cave.^[6][5]
5. (Medieval Latin) An inheritance.^[7]

Related words

• succēdō
• English success

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com