nefarius Latin · revision 18009

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=234–149 BC, Cato|origins=ine-pro *bʰeh₂-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [nɛˈfaː.ri.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [neˈfaː.ri.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nefārius''' (feminine nefāria, neuter nefārium); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|nefās|-ius|t1=what is wrong, a crime]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)^(Etymonline) [[m|la|nefās]] is from [[m|la|ne-|t=not]] and [[m|la|fās|t=divine law, what is right]], which de Vaan derives from [[itc-pro|*faos]], from [[ine-pro|*bʰeh₂-os|t=saying, utterance]], originally only in ⟨fās est⟩ “the saying exists, it is right”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler first records it in Cato.^(Köbler 2010) Scaurus calls someone ''nefārius vulturius'', “an abominable vulture”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Nefārius'' is “offending against divine and moral law, wicked, impious”, of persons (Cicero: ''nefārium impiumque'', “wicked and impious”) and of acts, and so “horrible, vile, foul” (Catullus: ''nefāria scrīpta Sēstī'', “the abominable writings of Sestius”, Cicero: ''ō rem cum audītū crūdēlem tum vīsū nefāriam!'', “a thing cruel to hear and abominable to see!”).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) L&S give ''impius'' and ''sacrilegus'' as synonyms.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “impious, wicked, evil”.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|nefarious]] comes from it about 1600.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''nefārium impiumque''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus: ''nefāria scrīpta Sēstī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1600 – English [[m|en|nefarious]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|wicked]], impious, [[m|en|nefarious]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Horrible, vile, [[m|en|abominable]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nefās]]

+ * [[fās]]

+ * [[nefāstus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}