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tremebundus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word tremebundus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
86/82 BC, Rhetorica ad Herennium
Ultimate origin
Latin tremō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin tremo
Latin tremebundus
From the same root
Latin contremo ← tremo
Latin intremo ← tremo
Latin tremesco ← tremo
Latin tremor ← tremo

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [trɛ.mɛˈbʊn.dʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [tre.meˈbun.dus][1]

Forms

tremebundus (feminine tremebunda, neuter tremebundum); first/second-declension adjective[1] It is also spelled tremibundus.[2][3][4] Columella has the comparative tremebundior.[4][5]

Etymology

It is from Latin tremō (“to tremble”) + -bundus.[2][1][4] De Vaan traces tremō to Proto-Italic *trem-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *tr(e)m- (“to tremble”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is the Rhetorica ad Herennium,[7] which uses it of a trembling voice.[4] De Vaan dates it from Lucretius,[6] who has a maiden led trembling to the altar (tremibunda ad aras deductast).[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It is mostly a poetic word.[3] Cicero speaks of touching a doorpost with a trembling hand,[2][3] Ovid of trembling limbs,[3][5] and Virgil of a quivering spear.[8] Statius has a farmer fleeing in fear from his field, and Juvenal a woman crawling out naked and shivering after plunging into the Tiber.[2] Columella uses the comparative of something softer and flabbier than a sow's udder.[4][8]

British medieval writers used it of things shaking, as Aldhelm does of marble, of people trembling with fear, and also in the active sense “causing trembling, terrifying”.[9] Italian tremebondo continues it.[8]

Timeline

  • 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of a trembling voice.[4][7]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a maiden trembling at the altar.[2][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a trembling hand.[2][7]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a quivering spear.[8][7]
  • 1st century AD – Columella uses the comparative of something flabby.[4][7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Quivering, vibrating.[2][8]
  2. Trembling with fear or a similar emotion; shivering with cold.[2][3]
  3. Soft, flabby.[8]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Causing trembling, terrifying.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  7. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ 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
Cite this entry

“Tremebundus.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/tremebundus. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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