volup

Forms

volup (not comparable)^[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.^[2] The OLD takes it as probably short for ⟨volupe⟩, the neuter of an old adjective,^[3] but de Vaan thinks that the manuscript variant ⟨volupe⟩ probably arose in the phrase ⟨volupest⟩ “volup est”.^[2] He suggests that it may be inherited from Proto-Italic *w(e/o)lpi (“hopefully”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *u(e/o)lp-i (“hope, pleasure”), the neuter of an i-stem, with an anaptyctic vowel inserted between /l/ and /p/.^[2][1] Hamp instead reconstructed a compound *uel-h₁p- (“desire-reaching”) from the roots of volō¹ and apiō, which de Vaan finds unsupported.^[2]

Cognate with Ancient Greek ἔλπομαι (élpomai, “to expect, hope, think”) and ἐλπίς (elpís, “hope”).^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Naevius on, who writes it volop,^[2][3] meaning “with pleasure”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The word belongs to early Latin;^[4] Lewis and Short mark it as ante-classical.^[4] It was used above all in two phrases: volup esse “to be a pleasure (to someone)” and volup facere with a dative, “to give pleasure to”.^[3] Plautus has both.^[3] Its derivatives lasted much longer: voluptās “pleasure” and voluptārius are found from Plautus on, and the goddess Volupia from Varro.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius writes it volop.^[2][3][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses volup est and volup facere.^[3][5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. With pleasure, pleasantly, agreeably, to one's satisfaction.^[3][4]
2. volup esse (with dative): to be a pleasure (to someone). Plautus, Amphitruo 958: gaudeo et volup est mihi (“I am glad, and it is a pleasure to me”).^[3]
3. volup facere (with dative): to give pleasure (to). Plautus, Casina 78: facite vostro animo volup (“treat yourselves to some pleasure”).^[3]

Related words

• Volupia
• voluptābilis
• voluptāriē
• voluptārius
• voluptās
• voluptātīvus
• voluptificus
• voluptuōsē
• voluptuōsus

Usage notes

Some editions print volupe, which Lewis and Short call incorrect.^[4]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de