valor

Forms

valor m (genitive valōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin valeō (“to be strong, be worth”) + -or, a Late Latin formation;^[1][2][3] Wiktionary compares the Classical valētūdō.^[1] The verb goes back to Proto-Italic *wal-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *h₂ulh₁-eh₁- (“to be strong”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A glossary equates it with Greek τιμή (timḗ, “value, price”).^[5][6] Köbler's first dated source is the Visigothic laws of the 7th century.^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

In Late and Medieval Latin it meant value, worth or price, and also legal force or validity, power or talent, strength and courage, dignity or rank, and a person's legal standing.^[8][3] British sources use it for physical strength, for the validity of a will, for the money value of goods or rents, and in music for the length of a note.^[2] Du Cange also records it for prowess in war, for revenue from property and for bodily condition.^[9] The grammarian Osbern of Gloucester lists it with validus, valentia and valitudo as words from valeō.^[2]

Through Old French it gave English valour around 1300.^[10] Its Romance descendants include French valeur and Catalan valor.^[1]

Timeline

• 7th century – The Visigothic laws use it.^[3][7]
• 1184 – A charter has it of a man's bodily condition.^[9]
• 1280 – Rents are bought to the value (ad valorem) of eighteen marks.^[2]
• c. 1300 – English takes valor from Old French.^[10]
• 1325 – A custumal uses it for the revenue drawn from a thing.^[9]
• 1428 – A will is declared pro valore, valid.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Late Latin) value, worth, price.^[5][6][1][8]
2. (Medieval Latin) Money value; in music, the duration of a note.^[2]
3. (Medieval Latin, law) validity, legal force.^[8][2]
4. (Medieval Latin) Power, ability, talent.^[8]
5. (Medieval Latin) Strength, vigour; courage, prowess in war.^[8][2][9]
6. (Medieval Latin) Dignity, rank; a person's standing.^[8][2]
7. (Medieval Latin, law) The legal status of a person.^[8][7]
8. (Medieval Latin) revenue drawn from property.^[9]

Related words

• valētūdō
• English valor

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard, Liber exquisiti xenii: Lexikon frühmittelalterlicher Rechtswörter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ a b c d e f g Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b c d e du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com