Etymologically
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tempestive

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Forms

tempestīvē (comparative tempestīvius)[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin tempestīvus (“timely, seasonable”) + -ē,[1][2][3] which goes back through tempestās (“season, weather”) to tempus (“time”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cato, in the De agri cultura, uses it of ploughing well and at the right time (bene et tempestive arare).[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

It meant “at the right time, seasonably, opportunely”.[1][5] Varro uses it of plants flowering in their season[2][6] and Cicero of trees cut at the proper time.[2][4][6] Horace, in the Odes, has the comparative: tempestivius in domum Pauli … comissabere (“you will more fittingly carry your revels to the house of Paulus”).[2][7]

British medieval writers used it of things done at the right season, on time or at a convenient moment.[8]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of ploughing at the right time.[2][4][3]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of plants flowering in season.[2][6][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of trees cut at the proper time.[2][4][3]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses the comparative.[2][4][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. At the right time, seasonably, in due season.[1][5]
  2. Opportunely, fittingly.[1][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) On time, punctually.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company
  8. ^ a b 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