verbalis

Forms

verbālis (neuter verbāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin verbum (“word”) + -ālis.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The grammarian Charisius uses it of nouns formed from verbs.^[4][2][3]

Semantic evolution

Other grammarians, Diomedes and Dositheus among them, used it in the same way.^[2][3] Fulgentius gave it the wider sense “consisting of words”, with granaries of words and a flood of women's words.^[2][3]

In medieval Latin it often set words against deeds or reality, and could mean spoken aloud.^[5] Thomas Aquinas used it both of words in general and of verbs,^[6] and Petrarch wrote of verbal help for other people's wounds.^[7] English verbal comes from it, partly through French.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 362 AD – Charisius uses it in grammar of nouns derived from verbs.^[4][2]
• second half of the 4th century AD – Diomedes uses it in the same grammatical sense.^[3][4]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as verbal, partly through French.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Consisting of words, verbal.^[2][3][9]
2. (grammar) Of or derived from a verb.^[2][3][9]
3. (Medieval Latin) In words only, as opposed to deeds or reality; spoken orally.^[5]

Related words

• English verbal

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ 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
6. ^ Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
7. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier