acutus Latin · revision 31004

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₂eḱ-u-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''acūtus''' (feminine acūta, neuter acūtum); first and second declension; comparative acūtior, superlative acūtissimus^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the past participle of [[m|la|acuō|t=to sharpen]] used as an adjective.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan puts the verb with [[m|la|acus|t=needle]] and [[m|la|acūmen|t=sharp point]], from a [[itc-pro|*aku-]] that continues the [[ine-pro|*h₂eḱ-u-|t=pointed]], a stem in ⟨u⟩ from the root for sharpness; outside Italic he compares [[lt|ašutas|t=hair of a horse's tail or mane]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus, ''Epidicus'': ''acūtum cultrum habeō'', “I have a sharp knife”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is sharpened or pointed; it is also naturally pointed or tapering, as Plautus' sharp nose and the pine with sharp needles in Ovid.^(OLD 2012) Of sounds it is high-pitched or shrill, as early as Ennius' trumpet, and in grammar and music it is the high or acute tone and accent, opposed to ''gravis'' in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) Of the senses it is keen (Plautus' sharp eyes), of perceptions clear, pungent, or piercingly cold, as Horace's rivers frozen by sharp frost.^(OLD 2012) Of illness it is acute or violent, and of people keen-witted and shrewd, as Varro calls Chrysippus.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “sharp, keen, pointed, acute”, and ''bis acūtus'' is “two-edged”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a sharp knife and keen eyes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of shrill sounds.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of the acute tone.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of a sharp frost and an acute illness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|sharpen|alt=Sharpened]], [[m|en|pointed]], sharp.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Naturally pointed, tapering, ''(of angles)'' [[m|en|acute]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of sounds)'' High-pitched, [[m|en|shrill]], ''(of accent)'' acute.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(of the senses)'' Keen, ''(of perceptions)'' clear, pungent, piercingly cold.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of diseases)'' Acute, violent.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of persons, the mind)'' Keen-witted, [[m|en|shrewd]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[acūtālis]]

+ * [[acutulus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acuō]]

+ * [[acus]]

+ * [[acūmen]]

+ * [[aculeus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}