expeditus Latin · revision 30675

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=ine-pro *pōd-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɛk.spɛˈdiː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ek.speˈdiː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''expedītus''' (feminine expedīta, neuter expedītum, comparative expedītior, superlative expedītissimus); first and second declension^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the participle of [[m|la|expediō|t=to free the feet, disentangle]], used as an adjective.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) The verb is formed from [[m|la|ex-|t=out of]] and [[m|la|pēs|t=foot]]; de Vaan explains its meaning from [[m|la|compedēs|t=fetters]], so “to free from fetters”.^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) He traces the noun for foot to [[ine-pro|*pōd-s]], cognate with [[grc|πούς|tr=poús]] and [[sa|पाद्|tr=pā́t]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cicero, writing from his province: ''expedītō exercitū ita noctū iter fēcī'', “I marched by night with my army unencumbered”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word is at home in the army: troops ''expedītī'' are free of baggage and ready for action, and used as a noun ''expedītus'' is a light-armed soldier.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) Cicero also uses it of a traveller without luggage: Clodius met Milo ''expedītus, in equō'', with no carriage and no wife.^(OLD 2012) From freedom of movement came agile (Varro), quick and ready in mind or speech (Cicero), free from difficulty and easy, of tasks and of roads (Caesar), and ready to hand, with ''in expedītō'' “in readiness”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “well-appointed, light-armed”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of an army without baggage, of a ready speaker and of an easy task.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of agile limbs.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar of an easier road and of light-armed troops.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(of troops)'' Unencumbered, [[m|en|light-armed]], ready for action.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Travelling light.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|agile]], nimble; quick, ready (in mind).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Free from difficulty, easy;^(OLD 2012) ''(of roads)'' easy to pass.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Ready to hand;^(OLD 2012) ''in expedītō'', in readiness.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A light-armed soldier.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[expediō]]

+ * [[expedītiō]]

+ * [[pēs]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Late Latin also had a fourth-declension noun ''expedītus'' (genitive ''expedītūs''), from the same verb, meaning a military expedition, like [[expedītiō]].^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}