sordidus Latin · revision 30792

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈsɔr.dɪ.dʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈsɔr.di.dus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sordidus''' (feminine sordida, neuter sordidum, comparative sordidior, superlative sordidissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|sordeō|-idus|t1=to be dirty]], the verb of [[m|la|sordēs|t=dirt]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline) De Vaan sets up [[itc-pro|*swordi-|t=dirt]] or ⟨*swordo-⟩ “dirty”, perhaps from ⟨*sword-⟩ and comparable with [[gem-pro|*swartaz|t=black]] ([[got|𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐍄𐍃|tr=swarts]], [[ang|sweart]]); he finds no further Indo-European etymology.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Caecilius has ''saepe est etiam sub palliolō sordidō sapientia'', “wisdom is often found even under a dirty little cloak”, and Ennius ''vestem squālam et sordidam''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Sordidus'' is “dirty, grimy, unwashed” (Horace: a dirty napkin), of persons “squalid, neglected”, and of things “dingy, discoloured” (Horace: dirty smoke).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) From this it means “poor in quality, mean, shabby” (Cicero: a small, shabby villa), “of no account, paltry”, of persons “of low birth, common”, of conduct “degrading, base” (Cicero: it is sordid to haggle over money), and “mean, stingy, avaricious”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “unclean, defiled, polluted”.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|sordid]] (early 15th century) was first a medical word for a festering sore.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 230/220–168 BC – Caecilius: ''sub palliolō sordidō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a shabby villa.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English [[m|en|sordid]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|dirty]], filthy, unwashed; [[m|en|squalid]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Dingy, discoloured.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Mean, shabby, poor in quality; paltry.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of low birth, common.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Degrading, base, [[m|en|sordid]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Stingy, [[m|en|miserly]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sordido]]

+ * [[sordidulus]]

+ * [[sordidātus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sordēs]]

+ * [[sordeō]]

+ * [[en|sordid]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}