Etymologically
Log in

tranquille

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 21 October 2026 at 00:28. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

tranquillē (comparative tranquillius, superlative tranquillissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin tranquillus (“calm, quiet”) + -ē.[2][1][3] De Vaan finds the origin of tranquillus unclear: an old explanation from trāns and a root for “quiet” fits neither the meaning nor the sound changes well.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler and Conte cite it first from Plautus, in the Cistellaria.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant “in an undisturbed manner, quietly, calmly”.[2] Cicero uses it in the Tusculan Disputations and the Orator,[6][5] and Livy has it too.[5] Seneca has the comparative of the soul that will abide more clearly and calmly among divine things,[7] and Suetonius the superlative (tranquillissime senuit, “he grew old most peacefully”).[7][6]

Medieval writers used it of living or governing in peace, as Alcuin does.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in the Cistellaria.[5][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in the Tusculan Disputations.[6][3]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it.[5][3]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses the comparative in his letters.[7][3]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses the superlative.[7][6][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Quietly, calmly, undisturbed.[2][9]
  2. Peacefully, in peace.[5][8]

References

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