nocens Latin · revision 30678

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nocēns''' (genitive nocentis, comparative nocentior, superlative nocentissimus); third-declension one-termination adjective^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the present participle of [[m|la|noceō|t=to harm]], used as an adjective.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan traces the verb to [[itc-pro|*nokeje-|t=to cause death]] and [[ine-pro|*noḱ-eie-|t=to make disappear, cause death]], cognate with [[sa|नाशयति|tr=nāśáyati|t=makes disappear, destroys]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler records it from Cicero on; in the Verrines Cicero speaks of the most guilty men acquitted for money (''hominēs nocentissimī'').^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As an adjective it has the active sense of the verb, “harmful, injurious” (Varro of harmful weather), and above all the moral one, “stained with crime, guilty”, with an ablative of the offence.^(OLD 2012) As a masculine noun ''nocēns'' is a guilty person, a criminal: Cicero says the orator holds up the crime and deceit of the guilty to the citizens' hatred.^(OLD 2012) It is the opposite of [[innocēns]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of guilty men and of the guilty as a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|harmful]], injurious, [[m|en|noxious]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|guilty]], criminal;^(OLD 2012) ''(with ablative)'' guilty (of).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A guilty person, a [[m|en|criminal]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[noceō]]

+ * [[innocēns]]

+ * [[noxius]]

+ * [[noxa]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}