prudens Latin · revision 30757

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=la prōvideō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈpruː.dẽːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈpruː.dens]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prūdēns''' (genitive prūdentis, comparative prudentior, superlative prudentissimus, adverb prūdenter); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a contracted form of [[m|la|prōvidēns|t=foreseeing]], the present participle of [[m|la|prōvideō|t=to foresee]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) The TLL explains that as the participle widened in meaning and became an adjective in its own right its sound could change too: ⟨*prōvident-⟩ was syncopated to ⟨*proudent-⟩ and then gave ⟨prūdent-⟩, while the verb kept ⟨prō-⟩ and ⟨vidē-⟩ by analogy.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ennius, ''Annals'', a warrior fighting for the Roman people: ''prūdēns animam dē corpore mittō'', “knowingly I give up my life”, in the sense “aware of what one does, deliberately”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first sense is acting knowingly, aware of the consequences, and with a genitive aware of something (Sallust).^(OLD 2012) The literal “foreseeing” is very rare: Cicero glosses ''prūdentēs'' as ''prōvidentēs''.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The usual Classical senses are prudent, discreet and far-sighted (Cicero asks who was more careful or more prudent than Deiotarus), and sagacious, clever, or skilled in a subject.^(OLD 2012) As a noun ''prūdēns'' is an expert, especially in law, a jurist.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “wise, prudent, foreseeing, skilled, versed”.^(Stelten 1995) In medieval Latin it could also mean valiant.^(Niermeyer 1976) English borrowed ''prudent'' in the late 14th century from French and directly from Latin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius: ''prūdēns animam dē corpore mittō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a prudent man and of skill in household affairs.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English borrows it as [[m|en|prudent]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Knowing, aware, acting [[m|en|deliberate|alt=deliberately]];^(OLD 2012) ''(with genitive)'' aware (of).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Foreseeing (rare).^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Prudent, [[m|en|discreet]], sensible.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Wise, [[m|en|sagacious]]; skilled, versed (in).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|valiant]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An expert; a legal expert, [[m|en|jurist]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[imprūdēns]]

+ * [[prūdentia]]

+ * [[prūdenter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prōvideō]]

+ * [[en|prudent]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein contrasts [[sapiens]], one who chooses the right ends, with ''prūdēns'' and [[callidus]], one who chooses the right means and uses them carefully.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}