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vehemens

Etymology and origin of the Latin word vehemens

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Confidence
Disputed
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwe.(ɦ)ɛ.mẽːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɛː.e.mens][1]

Forms

vehemēns (genitive vehementis, comparative vehementior, superlative vehementissimus, adverb vehementer); third-declension one-termination adjective[1] Also vēmēns (from Cicero on, and always in Lucretius) and veemēns, and Catullus and Horace scan it as two syllables.[2][3][4]

Etymology

The origin is disputed.[1] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of vehō “to carry”, and follows Guiraud in taking ⟨vehemēns⟩ as the older form, meaning “one who gets carried away”, and Walde's derivation from a middle participle ⟨*weghemenos⟩, which the OLD gives, can no longer be held.[2][3] Wiktionary reports the analysis ⟨vehō⟩ + mēns “mind”, “carried away in mind”, and an older view, essentially that of Lewis & Short, with a first element vē- “out of”.[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and the OLD date it from Plautus, of a violent natural force.[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

Of natural forces it meant exerting great force, violent, as in Plautus; of physical action violent, vigorous; of people acting with energy, forceful, strenuous, as in Cicero; imperious, powerful; given to violent extremes, as in Terence; and in Columella thick, stout.[3] Gaffiot also gives impetuous, passionate, and severe, rigorous, as in Cicero.[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant violent, furious, vigorous, eager, ardent.[8] English vehement came through Old French vehement in the early 15th century.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][3][6]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a violent man.[3][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of forceful people.[3][6]
  • early 15th century – English vehement is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Violent, forceful; vigorous.[3]
  2. Energetic, strenuous; Impetuous, passionate, vehement.[3][7]
  3. Powerful, overmastering.[3]
  4. Severe, rigorous.[7]
  5. Thick, stout.[3]
  • vehementer
  • vehō
  • English vehement

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Vehemens.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/vehemens. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·