perfidus Latin · revision 31238

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81/79–52/50 BC, Catullus|origins=ine-pro *bʰeydʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈpɛr.fɪ.dʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈpɛr.fi.dus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''perfidus''' (feminine perfida, neuter perfidum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|per|t=through]] and [[m|la|fidēs|t=faith, trust]] with the suffix [[m|la|-us]], compare [[m|la|pēiūrus|t=perjured]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) The TLL explains it from the phrase ⟨per fidem⟩ joined with verbs of deceiving, “to deceive by trading on trust”, which took a bad sense.^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces ⟨fidēs⟩ to [[itc-pro|*fiþē-|t=trust]] and [[ine-pro|*bʰidʰ-eh₁-|t=faith]], from the root of [[m|la|fīdō|t=to trust]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler gives Catullus as its first author.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is of one who deliberately breaks faith, treacherous, false or deceitful.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) By transfer Virgil has a “treacherous sword” that breaks in mid-stroke, Propertius a slippery and treacherous road, and of words and actions it is marked by deceit, as Horace's “I have sworn no false oath”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Christian and medieval Latin it is unbelieving, heathen or heretical, and the masculine is used as a noun for an unbeliever.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of a treacherous sword.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of a false oath.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Faithless, [[m|en|treacherous]], false, deceitful, [[m|en|perfidious]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # (of things) Treacherous, unsafe.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Unbelieving, heathen, heretical, ''(as noun)'' an unbeliever.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perfidia]]

+ * [[perfidē]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[perfidiōsē]]

+ * [[perfidiōsus]]

+ * [[fidēs]]

+ * [[īnfīdus]]

+ * [[fīdus]]

+ * [[en|perfidy]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes [[fīdus]], trustworthy as a natural quality, from [[fidēlis]], faithful as a moral quality.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}