mansuetudo Latin · revision 31528

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la mansuētus}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mānsuētūdō''' ''f'' (genitive mānsuētūdinis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed with the suffix [[m|la|-tūdō]] from [[mānsuētus|t=tame, mild]] according to Wiktionary and the TLL, which compares [[cōnsuētūdō]],^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) or from ⟨mansuēs⟩ according to the OLD.^(OLD 2012) De Vaan explains ⟨mānsuētus⟩ as ⟨*manu-suēto-⟩ “accustomed to the hand”, from [[manus|t=hand]] and the participle of [[suēscō|t=to become accustomed]], and takes it to be older than ⟨mansuēs⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who speaks of a monument both to domestic cruelty and to Roman clemency.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense, tameness, is post-classical, as Curtius' and Justin's tamed elephants;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) in Cicero it is also civilization, of people led from savagery to justice and gentleness.^(OLD 2012) In classical prose it is mainly mildness, gentleness or clemency, as Caesar's clemency and mildness towards the defeated.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Döderlein distinguishes it from ''clēmentia'': ''mānsuētūdō'' is the mildness of a private person who does not avenge a slight, ''clēmentia'' the mercy of a ruler or judge who does not inflict a deserved punishment.^(Döderlein 1874) Church Latin glosses it “meekness, mildness, clemency, courtesy”,^(Stelten 1995) and in medieval Latin it is a title of honour.^(Niermeyer 1976) English ''mansuetude'', “gentleness”, is from it in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar of mildness towards the defeated.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1st century AD – Curtius of a tamed animal.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English [[m|en|mansuetude]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|tameness|alt=Tameness]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Civilization.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Mildness, gentleness, [[m|en|clemency]];^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' meekness.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A title of honour.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mānsuētus]]

+ * [[mānsuēscō]]

+ * [[clēmentia]]

+ * [[en|mansuetude]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}