susceptibilis

Forms

susceptibilis (neuter susceptibile); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin suscipiō (“to take up, receive”) + -bilis.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is attested from the 6th century,^[1] first in Boethius' commentary on Aristotle's On Interpretation, meaning capable of receiving.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From Boethius on it meant able to receive or admit something, with the genitive.^[2][4][5] Medieval writers used it of what can take on contraries or qualities: Alcuin says a single man is capable of contrariety, and Anselm that no nature but a rational one can receive justice.^[6] In Thomas Aquinas it is a synonym of receptive, as of those not capable of penance.^[7] It passed into the Romance languages and into English as susceptible.^[1][8]

Timeline

• first quarter of the 6th century AD – Boethius uses it for “capable of receiving”.^[3][2]
• c. 1600 – English borrows it as susceptible.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Capable of receiving or admitting (with the genitive); receptive.^[2][5][6]
2. (Medieval Latin) Able to undergo something; susceptible.^[6]

Related words

• English susceptible

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ 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
7. ^ Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com