praeclarus Latin · revision 18121

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 180–102 BC, Lucilius|origins=ine-pro *klh₁-ro-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [prae̯ˈkɫaː.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [preˈklaː.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praeclārus''' (feminine praeclāra, neuter praeclārum, comparative praeclārior, superlative praeclārissimus, adverb praeclārē); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|prae-|clārus|t1=before, very|t2=bright, famous]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan derives [[m|la|clārus]] from [[itc-pro|*klāro-|t=loud]], from [[ine-pro|*klh₁-ro-|t=loud, sonorous]]; the shift from “loud” to “clear, bright” is paralleled in [[goh|hel|t=loud]] and [[de|hell|t=clear-sounding; bright]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Lucilius has ''mūnicipem … praeclārōrum hominum ac prīmōrum'', “a fellow citizen of distinguished men and of the leading ones”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates it from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In its literal sense ''praeclārus'' is “outstandingly bright, radiant”, mostly in poetry (Lucretius: ''sōlis praeclāra lūce nitōrem'', “the gleam of the sun with its brilliant light”).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) More often it is “splendid, magnificent”, of estates and works of art (Cicero), and “outstanding in achievement or reputation, illustrious”, of persons and deeds.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “very clear, honorable, remarkable, splendid, famous”, and the neuter plural ''praeclāra'' as “valuables”.^(Stelten 1995) Döderlein groups it with ''ēminēns'', ''excellēns'' and ''praestāns'', which acknowledge superiority quietly, unlike the enthusiastic ''ēgregius'' and the admiring ''eximius''.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius: ''praeclārōrum hominum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius: ''sōlis praeclāra lūce''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a splendid estate.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Very bright, [[m|en|radiant]], brilliant.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|splendid]], [[m|en|magnificent]], fine.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|illustrious]], famous, distinguished (of persons and deeds).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin, neuter plural)'' ''praeclāra'': valuables.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[praeclāritās]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[praeclārē]]

+ * [[clārus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}