sufficientia

Forms

sufficientia f (genitive sufficientiae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sufficiēns (“sufficient”) + -ia,^[1][2] an abstract noun from the present participle of sufficiō (“to suffice”).^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is post-Classical:^[4] the first author the dictionaries cite is Tertullian, in his letter to his wife, for what is enough or suffices.^[4][2][5][6]

Semantic evolution

In the Vulgate it means a person’s ability or competence and also contentment with what one has,^[6] and Sidonius Apollinaris speaks of contentment with oneself.^[2] Ecclesiastical Latin kept the senses of sufficiency and contentment.^[7]

In Medieval Latin it meant a sufficient amount, everything needed,^[8][9] and also a supply, means or wealth.^[9] Thomas Aquinas uses it for sufficiency and self-sufficiency.^[10] From Late Latin it passed into Italian as sufficienza,^[6] and English sufficiency, first recorded in the late 15th century, is from it.^[11]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it for sufficiency.^[4][2][3]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has it in Paul’s letters for competence and contentment.^[4][6][3]
• c. 431–486 AD – Sidonius Apollinaris writes of contentment with oneself.^[2][3]
• late 15th century – English borrows it as sufficiency, “sufficient means or wealth”.^[11]

Meanings

Noun

1. Sufficiency; what is enough.^[4][2][5]
2. Ability, competence.^[6]
3. Contentment with what one has;^[2][5][6] sufficientia suī, contentment with oneself.^[2][5][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) A sufficient supply; means, resources.^[8][9]
5. (philosophy) Self-sufficiency, in Thomas Aquinas.^[10]

Related words

• sufficiō
• English sufficiency

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e f g Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b c 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
10. ^ a b Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
11. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com