saevus Latin · revision 17948

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *seh₂i-wo-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsae̯.wʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛː.vus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''saevus''' (feminine saeva, neuter saevum, comparative saevior, superlative saevissimus, adverb saevē); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Ammianus has a third-declension form, genitive plural ''saevium''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*saiwo-|t=savage]], [[inh|ine-pro|*seh₂i-wo-]], from a root [[m|ine-pro|*sh₂ey-|t=to rage, be in pain]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan suggests this root may be the same as ⟨*sh₂i-⟩ “to tie”, since raging and pain are sometimes described as being bound by an outside force.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD compares [[lv|sievs|t=cruel]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis and Short thought of [[scaevus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Cognate with [[sga|sáeth|t=sorrow]], [[hit|šāi-|t=to become angry]], [[grc|αἰανής|tr=aianḗs|t=irritating]] and [[got|𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍂|tr=sair|t=pain]], and English [[m|en|sore]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Livius Andronicus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Plautus has ''nunc truculentō mī atque saevō ūsus senest'', “now I need a fierce and savage old man”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Saevus'' is “harsh, savage, ferocious”, of people and their words and deeds, and also “wild, untamed” and, of animals, “fierce”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) It is used of violent forces such as storms, of cruel conditions and dangers, of severe pain, and of violent passions (Ennius: Medea ''amōre saevō saucia'', “wounded by fierce love”).^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short say it means roused to fierceness, while ''[[ferus]]'' is fierce by nature.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Döderlein groups it with ''[[atrōx]]'' and ''[[trux]]'', words for what looks terrifying.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius: ''amōre saevō saucia'';^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) ''dracōnis saevī'', “of the fierce dragon”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''truculentō … atque saevō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius: ''genus ācre leōnum saevaque saecla'', “the fierce race of lions and savage breeds”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|savage]], [[m|en|fierce]], ferocious, cruel.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Wild, untamed.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Fierce (of animals).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Violent (of storms and other forces).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Harsh, cruel (of conditions); severe (of pain).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Violent, vehement (of passions).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ferus]]

+ * [[atrōx]]

+ * [[trux]]

+ * [[en|sore]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}