universalis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [uː.nɪ.wɛrˈsaː.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [u.ni.verˈsaː.lis]^[1]

Forms

ūniversālis (neuter ūniversāle, adverb ūniversāliter); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from ūniversus “whole, all together” with the suffix -ālis.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's and Lewis and Short's earliest citations are from Quintilian, of rules with general application, praecepta ūniversālia.^[2][3] Köbler dates Quintilian c. 35–95/96 AD.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant having general application, universal, and Lewis and Short call it post-Augustan.^[2][3] Quintilian uses it of general rules and questions.^[3] Boethius has a comparative ūniversālior.^[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant universal, of all.^[6] Medieval Latin used it of the universal in logic, and of the Church as universal, catholic, ecumenical.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it in medicine, in logic of a universal proposition, and as a noun for a universal in philosophy.^[8] English universal came through Old French in the late 14th century.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of general rules.^[2][3][4]
• late 14th century – English universal is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. General, universal.^[2][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) Of the Church, universal, ecumenical.^[7]
3. (Medieval Latin, logic) Universal; as a noun, a universal.^[7][8]

Related words

• ūniversus
• ūniversitās
• English universal
• English universe

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com