Etymologically
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vecordia

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [weːˈkɔr.di.a][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [veˈkɔr.di.a][1]

Forms

vēcordia f (genitive vēcordiae); first declension[1] It is also spelled vaecordia.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin vēcors (“senseless, mad”) + -ia.[2][1] vēcors is a compound of the prefix vē- and cor (“heart”),[1] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *kord and Proto-Indo-European *ḱērd (“heart”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Terence,[3][4] whose Andria asks whether such madness can be inborn in anyone: tanta vecordia innata cuiquam.[5]

Semantic evolution

It is a disordered state of mind, derangement or frenzy,[2] want of reason, senselessness, folly or madness:[5] Sallust says madness showed in a man's face and expression, and Tacitus speaks of pursuits full of folly.[5] Lewis & Short note that Cicero does not use it.[5] In Church Latin it is foolishness or folly.[6]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence, of inborn madness.[5][3][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust, of madness in a man's face.[5][4]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus, of senseless pursuits.[5][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Madness, derangement, frenzy.[2][5][1]
  2. Senselessness, folly.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson