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taeter

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word taeter

Confidence
Uncertain
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈtae̯.tɛr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈtɛː.ter][1]

Forms

taeter (feminine taetra, neuter taetrum, comparative taetrior, superlative taeterrimus); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)[1] It is also spelled tēter.[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][4] De Vaan puts it with taedet (“it wearies, disgusts”): it may regularly reflect Proto-Italic *taid-ro-, but there is no good etymology for the stem ⟨*taid-⟩.[4][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan gives Plautus as its first author.[4] In the Mostellaria a slave is called omnium hominum taeterrume, “foulest of all men”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Physically it is foul, offensive or horrible, as Accius' grim rocks, Ennius' hideous elephants, and Cicero's most foul smell.[2] Of persons it is morally vile or abominable, already in Plautus, and of deeds and experiences monstrous, as Accius' horrible tortures.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a vile man.[4][2][5]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius of hideous elephants.[2][5]
  • 170–c. 90 BC – Accius of horrible tortures.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a foul smell.[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Foul, noisome, offensive, hideous.[2][1]
  2. (of persons) Vile, abominable.[2][1]
  3. (of actions) Monstrous, horrible.[2][1]

Usage notes

Döderlein describes taeter as the ugliness that disturbs one's sense of safety and makes one shudder, as opposed to foedus, which offends natural feeling.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
Cite this entry

“Taeter.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/taeter. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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