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umidus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word umidus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Pacuvius
Ultimate origin
Latin (ūmeō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈuː.mɪ.dʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈuː.mi.dus][1]

Forms

ūmidus (feminine ūmida, neuter ūmidum, adverb ūmidē); first/second-declension adjective[1] It is also spelled hūmidus.[2]

Etymology

It is from ūmeō “to be moist” with the suffix -idus.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Pacuvius, of moist substances, and Varro, of wet ground.[2] Köbler dates Pacuvius 220–130 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant wet, moist, of ground, with the neuter as a noun for wet ground, as in Varro, and of substances having much water, as in Pacuvius.[2] Döderlein explains that ūdus and ūvidus are wet with water itself, hūmidus and hūmectus moist from water soaking through.[4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant moist, humid.[5] British Medieval Latin used it of things wet or moist, and the neuter for wet ground.[6] Through Old French humide or directly from Latin it gave English humid in the early 15th century.[7]

Timeline

  • 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of moist substances.[2][3]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of wet ground.[2][3]
  • early 15th century – English humid is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Wet, moist; as a noun, wet ground.[2]
  2. Watery, humid.[2]

Word family

  • cohūmidō
  • subhumidus
  • ūmiditās
  • ūmidulus
  • ūmidē
  • hūmiditās

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from ūdus and ūvidus.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  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
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Umidus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/umidus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·