ignavus Latin · revision 30977

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *ǵneh₃-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɪŋˈnaː.wʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [iɲˈɲaː.vus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ignāvus''' (feminine ignāva, neuter ignāvum, comparative ignāvior, superlative ignāvissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|in-|t=not]] and [[m|la|gnāvus|t=busy, active]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan traces ⟨gnāvus⟩ to [[itc-pro|*gnāwo-]] and [[ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-uo-|t=knowing]], from [[ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-|t=to know]], with the sense passing from “knowing” through “experienced” to “busy”; he compares [[cy|go-gnaw|t=active, persistent]].^(de Vaan 2008) Isidore of Seville explained it as “ignorant of the way”.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan gives Plautus as its first author.^(de Vaan 2008) In the ''Captivi'' a man hears that another was captured too: “so we weren't the only cowards”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is lazy or slothful, as Varro's farmers who live in the villa and are lazier than those in the fields, and of conditions and conduct, as Plautus' slackest discipline.^(OLD 2012) It is sluggish, as Virgil's bees numb with hunger and cold, and of things torpid, as the dead water of Orcus.^(OLD 2012) It is faint-hearted or cowardly, ignoble (Plautus: ''homō ignāvissime''), and of things useless, as Virgil's woods idle for many years.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short give ''iners'' and ''socors'' as synonyms and ''strēnuus'', ''alacer'' and ''fortis'' as opposites.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “slothful, idle, listless, inactive”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of cowards and slack discipline.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of sluggish bees and idle woods.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|lazy|alt=Lazy]], [[m|en|slothful]], idle.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|sluggish|alt=Sluggish]], torpid.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Faint-hearted, [[m|en|cowardly]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Ignoble, mean.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of things)'' Useless, unproductive.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īgnāvē]]

+ * [[īgnāvia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gnāvus]]

+ * [[iners]]

+ * [[sōcors]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}