tenuiter

Forms

tenuiter (comparative tenuïus, superlative tenuissimē, adjective tenuis)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin tenuis (“thin, fine, slight”) + -ter.^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest use in the OLD is in Terence, where it means “poorly, meagrely”: asked how someone is doing, a character answers sīc, tenuiter, “so-so, poorly”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it has a literal sense, “thinly, with little depth”, used by Caesar of thinly dressed leather,^[2][4][5] and “finely”, of a powder sifted fine in Pliny the Elder.^[2] From “meagrely” came “feebly, with slight force”: the Rhetorica ad Herennium has an answer given weakly and triflingly, and Cicero fears that he collects arguments too feebly.^[2][4]

In rhetoric it described a plain, restrained style or a subtle argument: Cicero contrasts discussing a question tenuiter, in the philosophers' manner, with the orators' abundance, and Pliny the Younger praises mimiambi written finely, wittily and charmingly.^[2][4][5] Aulus Gellius uses it for subtle distinctions.^[2] Medieval writers in Britain still used it for “thinly”.^[6]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it for “poorly”.^[2][3]
• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it for “feebly”.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a plain style of discussion.^[2][3]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of thin leather.^[2][3]
• c. 165 AD – Aulus Gellius uses it for subtle distinctions.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. With little depth, thinly.^[2][4]
2. In fine divisions, finely.^[2]
3. Meagrely, scantily, poorly.^[2][4]
4. With little force or effect, feebly.^[2][4]
5. Without ornament, plainly, simply; with restraint.^[2][4]
6. With fine distinctions, subtly.^[2]

Related words

• tenuis
• tenuitās

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ 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