benignitas Latin · revision 31132

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [bɛˈnɪŋ.nɪ.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [beˈniɲ.ɲi.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''benignitās''' ''f'' (genitive benignitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|benignus|t=kind, generous]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tās]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan lists ⟨benignus⟩ under both [[m|la|bonus|t=good]] and [[m|la|gignō|t=to beget]]: it is formed from ⟨bene⟩ “well” and the root of ⟨gignō⟩, [[ine-pro|*ǵenh₁-|t=to beget]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first example is Plautus' ''Poenulus'', “such is your kindness”, and in the ''Truculentus'' it is a term of endearment, ''mea benignitās''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is kindness, friendliness or benevolence, and generosity or bounty, as Cicero's “the generosity of the decemvirs”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “goodness, benignity, kindness”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of kindness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * late 14th century – Borrowed into English, by way of Old French, as [[m|en|benignity]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|kindness|alt=Kindness]], friendliness, [[m|en|benevolence]], ''(as an endearment)'' darling.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|generosity|alt=Generosity]], bounty, liberality.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[benignē]]

+ * [[benigniter]]

+ * [[benignor]]

+ * [[benignus]]

+ * [[bonus]]

+ * [[malignitās]]

+ * [[līberālitās]]

+ * [[en|benignity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}