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tumidus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word tumidus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*tum-eh₁-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin tumeo
Latin tumidus
Latin tumulus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈtʊ.mɪ.dʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈtuː.mi.dus][1]

Forms

tumidus (feminine tumida, neuter tumidum, adverb tumidē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin tumeō (“to swell”) + -idus.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces tumeō to Proto-Italic *tum-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *tum-eh₁- (“to be swelling”), cognate with Middle Welsh tyfu (“to grow”) and Lithuanian tumėti (“to become thick”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero, Tusculan Disputations: is not any limb that is tumidum ac turgidum, swollen and distended, in a bad state?[2][5]

Semantic evolution

It is swollen or distended, of limbs, sails filled by the wind, and udders full to bursting; of shapes it is rounded or bulging, and of seas and rivers swollen by rain or storm, as Virgil's Neptune calming the swollen waters.[2] Figuratively it is inflamed with anger or passion, puffed up with pride, as Horace's swelling threats of kings, and of style high-flown and bombastic: Horace's angry Chremes ranting tumidō ōre.[2]

Church Latin glosses it “tumid, swollen, puffed up, elated, inflated, haughty”.[6] English tumid (1540s) comes from it.[3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a swollen limb.[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil of the swollen sea.[2][5]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of pride and of bombast.[2][5]
  • 1540s – English tumid.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Swollen, distended; bulging.[2][1][6]
  2. (of water) Swollen, rising high.[2][1]
  3. Inflamed (with anger or passion).[2][1]
  4. Puffed up, arrogant, haughty.[2][1][6]
  5. (of style) High-flown, bombastic.[2][1]

Word family

  • praetumidus
  • prōtumidus
  • tumiditās
  • tumidōsus
  • tumidulus
  • tumidē
  • tumidō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Tumidus.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/tumidus. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·