Etymologically
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tenax

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈtɛ.naːks][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈtɛː.naks][1]

Forms

tenāx (genitive tenācis, comparative tenācior); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin teneō (“to hold”) + -āx.[2][1][3] The verb teneō goes back to Proto-Italic *tenēō and Proto-Indo-European *tn̥-éh₁- (“to hold”), a stative of the root Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch”).[3] Cognate with Sanskrit तनोति (tanóti, “stretches”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[3] whose Captivi has “is his father close-fisted? — very close-fisted indeed”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Of things it means holding fast or clinging, as Varro's sticky birdlime, Virgil's tight bonds and grasping tongs, and of the body retentive.[2][4] Of persons it is close-fisted or stingy, and with a genitive keeping a tight hold of something; it is also used of what makes one stay, as Propertius' lotus and Circe's herbs.[2] With a genitive it means holding fast to a principle, as Virgil's Rumour, “as clinging to the false and wicked as to the truth”, and of people and conduct steadfast and persistent, or obstinate.[2][4]

Church Latin glosses it “firm, steadfast, holding fast”.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a stingy father.[2][3][6]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro of sticky birdlime.[2][6]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil of tight bonds and of Rumour.[2][6]
  • c. 1600 – Its stem gives English tenacious.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Holding fast, clinging, tenacious; retentive.[2][4][1]
  2. Close-fisted, stingy.[2][1]
  3. Holding someone back, restraining.[2]
  4. Holding fast to (with genitive); steadfast, persistent; obstinate.[2][4][1]

Word family

  • tenācia
  • tenācitās

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 c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com