vicissitudo

Forms

vicissitūdō f (genitive vicissitūdinis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin vicis (“change, turn”) + -tūdō.^[1][2] The OLD sees it as formed like vicissitās (“alternation”), with -tūdō in place of -tās, on the stem of vicissim (“in turn”).^[3] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ⟨vicis⟩, which goes back to Proto-Italic *wik- (“turn”) and Proto-Indo-European *uik- (“a turn”); he thinks the root may have meant to tie or to turn.^[4] He discusses several explanations of the ⟨-ss-⟩ of the adverb (from a form meaning “given in turn”, or a haplology of a compound meaning “stepping in turn”) and finds none of them fully convincing.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Terence,^[4][2] whose Eunuchus has omnium rerum, heus, vicissitudost, “there is a change in all things”.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is a change or reversal within some sphere: Cicero writes of the cycles of change in states, and of one thing passing into another; he also uses it of the variation of metrical feet.^[3][5] From this came a regular succession or alternation, as in Cicero's alternation of days and nights and of work and pleasure, and in Livy's alternation in holding power.^[3][6] Apuleius uses it of fingers interlocked over the knees.^[3][7]

A third sense is mutual action, reciprocation: Cicero says nothing is pleasanter than an exchange of services and attentions, and Seneca that there is no reciprocation within a single person.^[3][5] Jerome speaks of an exchange of letters.^[6][7]

Medieval writers kept these senses: Bede uses it of a torment that alternated between heat and cold, Aldhelm of an exchange of letters, and charters of an exchange of property.^[8] Niermeyer also records the sense reward.^[9] English vicissitude comes from it through Old French.^[10]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of change in all things.^[3][2]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the alternation of days and nights and of an exchange of services.^[3][2]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of alternation in ruling.^[3][2]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of interlocked fingers.^[3][2]
• c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it of an exchange of letters.^[6][2]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it of an exchange of letters.^[8][2]
• mid-15th century – Borrowed into English, through Old French, as vicissitude.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. Change within a given sphere, reversal, vicissitude.^[3][5]
2. Regular succession, alternation.^[3][6]
3. Mutual action, reciprocation, exchange.^[3][7]
4. (Medieval Latin) Reward.^[9]

Related words

• vicis
• vicissim
• vicārius
• English vicissitude

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
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 Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com