taediosus

Forms

taediōsus (feminine taediōsa, neuter taediōsum); first/second-declension adjective^[1] The medieval spelling tediosus is also found.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin taedium + -ōsus, “full of weariness”.^[1][3][2] The noun taedium (“weariness, disgust”) belongs to the impersonal verb taedet (“it wearies”),^[2] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *taid-ē-.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Late Latin word:^[5][6] the earliest author the dictionaries cite is Arnobius (297–310 AD), who uses it in the sense “tiresome, irksome”.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

In the 4th century Firmicus Maternus and Ambrose use it of what is wearisome or burdensome,^[7][3][8] and it also appears in an inscription.^[3] Medieval Latin kept the sense “tedious, boring” and added “sad, low-spirited” and “weary, disgusted”, so that it could describe the person as well as the thing that wearies;^[9][5] British writers also used it for someone easily tired or slothful.^[5] Humanist authors went on using it for what is dull to tell or to hear.^[10] Through Old French it gave English tedious.^[11]

Timeline

• 297–310 AD – Arnobius uses it for what is irksome.^[2][6]
• 343/350 AD – Firmicus Maternus calls life a wearisome burden (taediosa sarcina lucis).^[7][2]
• c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose uses it in his treatise on duties.^[3][2]
• early 15th century – English tedious is recorded, from Old French tedieus and ultimately from this word.^[11]
• 1492 – Perger uses tediosum in a letter for what is tiresome to bear.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Tedious, wearisome, irksome.^[7][3][8][6]
2. (Medieval Latin) Sorrowful, melancholy.^[9]
3. (Medieval Latin) Weary, disgusted; easily tired, slothful.^[9][5]

Related words

• taedium
• taedet
• English tedious

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d 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
6. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
9. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
10. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
11. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com