Etymologically
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trepidus

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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

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