honestum Latin · revision 30676

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la honōs}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''honestum''' ''n'' (genitive honestī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the neuter of [[m|la|honestus|t=honourable]], used as a noun, and translates [[grc|τὸ καλόν|tr=tò kalón|t=the noble, the beautiful]].^(OLD 2012) The adjective is formed from an old neuter ⟨*honos⟩ (genitive ⟨*honeris⟩), beside [[m|la|honor]], as [[m|la|decus]] stands beside [[m|la|decor]]; de Vaan sets it up as ⟨*hones-to-⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) He notes that ⟨hon-⟩ can only go back to ⟨*ǵʰon-⟩ or ⟨*gʰon-⟩, but no further etymology is known.^(de Vaan 2008) Varro derived ⟨honōs⟩ from ⟨onus⟩ “burden”, so that the honourable was what is laden.^(TLL)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler records it from Cicero on, who uses it for the Stoic “honourable”.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Cicero ''honestum'' is moral goodness, virtue, rectitude: it is either virtue itself or what is done by virtue, and for the Stoics the only good; he speaks of seeing “the very form and as it were the face of the honourable”, and asks what could be more honourable than the honourable.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) The plural ''honesta'' are honourable things, opposed to ''turpia'' (Cicero, Quintilian).^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lucan calls Cato ''rigidī servātor honestī'', “keeper of stern virtue”, and Tacitus has the saying ''honesta mors turpī vītā potior'', “an honourable death is better than a shameful life”.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Once in Horace it means beauty.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

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+ Köbler records it in medieval writers such as Wipo, the ''Ysengrimus'' and Albertus Magnus,^(Köbler 2010) and Wiktionary glosses it “honesty”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero's philosophical works.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 39–65 AD – Lucan of Cato, ''rigidī servātor honestī''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus: ''honesta mors turpī vītā potior''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # That which is morally honourable; [[m|en|virtue]], [[m|en|rectitude]], [[m|en|integrity]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(plural)'' Honourable things.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(rare)'' Beauty.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # [[m|en|honesty]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[honestus]]

+ * [[honōs]]

+ * [[honestās]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}