pulcher Latin · revision 17907

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈpʊɫ.kʰɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpul.ker]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pulcher''' (feminine pulchra, neuter pulchrum, comparative pulchrior, superlative pulcherrimus, adverb pulchrē); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)^(Wiktionary)

+ The unaspirated ''pulcer'' was used by Cicero in imitation of older writers, until he came to think it pedantic.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The oldest form is ⟨polcer⟩; ⟨u⟩ and the Hellenizing spelling ⟨ch⟩ are later.^(TLL)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Walde–Hofmann and Pokorny derived it from [[ine-pro|*perḱ-|t=speckled]] with dissimilation of ⟨*perk-ro-⟩ to ⟨*pelk-ro-⟩, but de Vaan objects that one would expect the second ⟨r⟩ to be lost instead.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The TLL tentatively suggests ⟨*per-kr-o-⟩ “fully grown”, from [[m|la|per-]] and the root of [[crēscō]].^(TLL) Lewis and Short connected it with [[poliō]] “to polish”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Livius Andronicus, Köbler from Naevius.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Plautus has ''amant ted omnēs mulierēs, neque iniūriā, quī sīs tam pulcher'', “all the women love you, and no wonder, you are so handsome”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Pulcher'' is “beautiful, handsome, lovely”, of persons, places and things, then “excellent of its kind, fine, splendid” (Plautus: legions ''pulchrīs armīs praeditās'', “equipped with splendid arms”), and morally “honourable, noble”, as of a glorious death.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Döderlein contrasts ''[[fōrmōsus]]'', beauty that delights by its form, with ''pulcher'', beauty that is imposing and wins admiration by its perfection.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “beautiful, fair, handsome, noble, fine, excellent”.^(Stelten 1995) It is also a cognomen of the Claudii, as of the tribune Publius Clodius Pulcher.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Used by Livius Andronicus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''quī sīs tam pulcher'';^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) ''pulchrīs armīs praeditās''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius: ''optima cum pulchrīs animīs Rōmāna iuventūs'', “the best of Roman youth with noble spirits”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil: ''pulchram … petunt per vulnera mortem'', “they seek a glorious death through wounds”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|beautiful]], [[m|en|handsome]], lovely, fair.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Fine, excellent, splendid.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Noble, honourable, glorious.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perpulcher]]

+ * [[praepulcher]]

+ * [[pulchellus]]

+ * [[pulchrālia]]

+ * [[pulchresco]]

+ * [[pulchritās]]

+ * [[pulchritūdō]]

+ * [[pulchrē]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fōrmōsus]]

+ * [[bellus]]

+ * [[venustus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}