trepidus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtrɛ.pɪ.dʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtrɛː.pi.dus]^[1]

Forms

trepidus (feminine trepida, neuter trepidum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from a root Proto-Indo-European *trep- (“to tremble, tread”) with the suffix -idus.^[1][2][3] The OLD compares Sanskrit तृप्र (tṛprá-, “anxious”), Old Church Slavonic трепетати (trepetati, “to tremble”) and Ancient Greek τραπέω (trapéō, “to tread grapes”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Lucretius, whom the OLD cites for alarmed conduct.^[2][4] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant filled with alarm, anxious, fearful, also timid by nature, as in Sallust, and of conduct or situations marked by alarm, as in Lucretius.^[4] It meant excited, agitated, bustling, as Virgil's bees gathering in a flurry, and of motion quivering, trembling, as in Virgil.^[4][5]

In Medieval Latin it meant alarmed, frightened.^[6] English trepid was borrowed in the 1640s, English intrepid in the 1690s from intrepidus, and English trepidation about 1600 from trepidātiō.^[3]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of alarmed conduct.^[4][2]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of anxious people.^[4][2]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of bustling bees.^[5][2]
• 1640s – English trepid is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Alarmed, anxious, fearful; timid.^[4]
2. Marked by alarm.^[4]
3. Agitated, bustling.^[4]
4. Quivering, trembling.^[4]

Word family

• intrepidus
• pertrepidus
• praetrepidus
• sēmitrepidus
• trepidiarius
• trepidō
• trepidulus

Related words

• English intrepid
• English trepidation

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
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