visum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwiː.sũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviː.s̬um]^[1]

Forms

vīsum n (genitive vīsī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of the perfect participle of videō “to see”, used as a noun.^[2][3][4] De Vaan traces ⟨videō⟩ to Proto-Italic *wid-ē- (“to see”), from Proto-Indo-European *wid-eh₁- (“to see”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Cicero, who has vīsa somniōrum “the visions of dreams”.^[6][3][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant something seen, an appearance, sight, especially a supernatural or imaginary one, a vision, usually in a dream, as in Cicero and Lucan.^[2][3] In Cicero's philosophical works it rendered Ancient Greek φαντασία (phantasía), an impression made on the senses from outside.^[4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a dream, vision, appearance.^[7] It survives in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese viso and Old French vis.^[1]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of dream visions.^[3][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. A thing seen, an appearance, sight.^[2]
2. A vision, especially in a dream.^[2][3]

Related words

• videō
• vīsus
• vīsiō

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson