valens

Forms

valēns (genitive valentis, comparative valentior, superlative valentissimus, adverb valenter); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is the present participle of valeō (“to be strong, be well”), used as an adjective.^[2][3][1] De Vaan traces ⟨valeō⟩ to Proto-Italic *wal-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *h₂ulh₁-eh₁- (“to be strong”), cognate with Oscan ϝαλε (vale, “farewell”) and Old Irish flaith (“rule”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Plautus as its first author,^[5] who has eight sturdy men with rods in the Asinaria.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Of people, animals and limbs it is physically strong, robust or vigorous, of plants vigorous, as Virgil's apples once they feel strong trunks, and in good health, as Cicero's boy seen well in public and dead before night; of things it is stout, as Virgil's strong stakes and forks.^[2][3] In Celsus it is of strong medicines, solid food, vigorous rubbing and severe illness.^[2] It is vigorous in style, as Cicero's Lysias, and strong in military or political power, as Cicero's wish that Caesar had never been given the strength he now opposes.^[2][3] Of gods and abstract things it is mighty, and of remedies and spells potent, as Horace's books of strong charms.^[2]

Church Latin glosses it “strong, powerful, healthy, hearty, well”.^[6] In medieval Latin it is valiant or brave, and as a neuter noun a thing or land worth a given amount, or a valuable object.^[7] As a name Valēns was borne by the emperor, brother of Valentinian.^[3][1] Döderlein pairs sānus and valēns for health.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of sturdy men.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of health, style and political power.^[2][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil of vigorous trees.^[2][5]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus of strong medicines.^[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Strong, robust, vigorous; healthy, well.^[2][3][1][6]
2. (of medicines, food, illness) Powerful, solid, severe.^[2]
3. (of style) Vigorous.^[2]
4. Powerful, mighty (in arms, politics; of gods).^[2][6]
5. Potent, effective.^[2]
6. (Medieval Latin) Valiant, brave.^[7]

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin, neuter) A thing or land of a given value; a valuable object.^[7]

Related words

• valeō
• validus
• valētūdō
• English valiant

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
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 e 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
7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper