beatus Latin · revision 18185

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la beō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [beˈaː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [beˈaː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''beātus''' (feminine beāta, neuter beātum, comparative beātior, superlative beātissimus, adverb beātē); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the perfect passive participle of [[m|la|beō|t=to make happy, gladden]], used as an adjective.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan finds a link between that verb and [[m|la|bonus|t=good]] (from ⟨*dwenos⟩) attractive in meaning but hard to explain in form; he reconstructs [[itc-pro|*dwejo-]] with a query, perhaps from an adjective ⟨*bejo-⟩ “happy” from which the verb was made.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler compares the root [[ine-pro|*deu-|t=to honour, grant]].^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has ''beātus vērō es nunc quom clāmās'', “you are truly happy now that you are shouting”; the OLD also cites Ennius.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Beātus'' is “happy, fortunate”, and of times and experiences “marked by happiness”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Of the gods and of the spirits in Elysium it is “blissful”: Cicero places the blessed where ''beātī aevō sempiternō fruantur'', “they enjoy an everlasting age”.^(OLD 2012) From Plautus on it also means “rich, wealthy”, and of things “rich, sumptuous”, as in Catullus' ''domus … potēns et beāta'', “a powerful and rich house”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Church Latin it is “blessed”, the title of saints in heaven and of those whose veneration the Holy See has approved.^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary) In Medieval Latin it can also mean “free, not preoccupied”.^(Niermeyer 1976) As a noun ''beātus'' is a happy or fortunate person,^(Wiktionary) recorded by Köbler from Bede.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''beātus vērō es nunc'';^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) also in the sense “rich”.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the blessed in the afterlife.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of a rich house.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 8th century – Bede uses ''beātus'' as a noun.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|happy]], [[m|en|fortunate]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|blissful]] (of gods and the spirits of the dead).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Rich, [[m|en|wealthy]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Rich, [[m|en|sumptuous]], copious (of things).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' [[m|en|blessed]]; a title of saints and of the beatified.^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Free, not preoccupied.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A happy or fortunate person.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[beātē]]

+ * [[beātificō]]

+ * [[beātificus]]

+ * [[beātitās]]

+ * [[beātitūdō]]

+ * [[beātulus]]

+ * [[beātum]]

+ * [[perbeātus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[beō]]

+ * [[bonus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}