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varius

Etymology and origin of the Latin word varius

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Confidence
Unknown
First attested
Plautus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin varius
Latin varietas
English variety

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwa.ri.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvaː.ri.us][1]

Forms

varius (feminine varia, neuter varium); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2] De Vaan mentions *wasio-, if it is related to vafer “sly”, or *wa-ro-, but finds neither convincing.[2] The Oxford Latin Dictionary suggests that it comes from vārus “bent outwards”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It was first of colour, particoloured, variegated or spotted, as a tongue in Varro, grapes in Cato and Terence's variā veste “in a gaily coloured garment”.[3][5] From this it meant composed of different elements, varied, different in each case, and of many kinds.[3] Döderlein says it means varied in its own texture, while dīversus is different from something else.[6]

In medieval Latin it was used of fur, vair, and of horses, dappled.[7][8] It survives as Italian vaio and French vair, and English vair “squirrel fur” and various come from it.[1][9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of grapes.[5][4]
  • c. 1300 – English vair “fur” is recorded.[9]
  • early 15th century – English various is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Particoloured, variegated, spotted.[3][5]
  2. Varied, diverse.[3]
  3. Different in each case; of many kinds.[3]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Of fur, vair; of a horse, dappled.[7][8]

Word family

Usage notes

Isidore says a horse is called varius because it has streaks of different colours.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ a b 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 c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).

Derived terms

Cite this entry

“Varius.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/varius. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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