malignus Latin · revision 31597

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [maˈlɪŋ.nʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [maˈliɲ.ɲus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''malignus''' (feminine maligna, neuter malignum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|male|-gnus|t1=badly|t2=born]], from the root of [[gignō|t=to beget]], formed as the opposite of [[benignus|t=kind, generous]];^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010) compare [[prīvignus|t=stepson]].^(OLD 2012) De Vaan lists it under both [[malus|t=bad]] and ⟨gignō⟩, where he counts the compounds in ⟨-gnus⟩ “born” as the only inherited type, from [[ine-pro|*-ǵnh₁-o-]].^(de Vaan 2008) For ⟨malus⟩ he reports a possible [[ine-pro|*mol-o-|t=bad]], which he calls uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) in whom a man's character is tested, whether he is as he should be, “mean or generous”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is ungenerous, grudging, from Plautus, Terence and Catullus on, and Virgil applies it to stingy soil and grudging hills.^(OLD 2012) Of things it is scanty, poor or narrow, as Virgil's narrow approaches.^(OLD 2012) From Horace on it is spiteful, ill-disposed: Horace scorns the spiteful crowd, and Virgil has ships watched with jealous eyes.^(OLD 2012) In Lucan and later poets it is harmful, unfavourable.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short call these senses mostly poetic and post-Augustan.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin has it for malignant, evil, malicious, and as a noun an evildoer;^(Stelten 1995) in Medieval Latin ''malignus'' as a noun is the Devil.^(Niermeyer 1976) English [[m|en|malign]] (early 14th century) came from it through Old French ''maligne''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus in the sense “mean, ungenerous”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of grudging soil and narrow entrances.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace in the sense “spiteful”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 354–430 AD – Augustine.^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Ungenerous, [[m|en|mean]], grudging; of soil, unproductive.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of things, scanty, poor; narrow, shallow.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Ill-disposed, [[m|en|spiteful]], [[m|en|malicious]], envious.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Of things, harmful, unfavourable, [[m|en|malignant]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' An evildoer;^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976) ''(Medieval Latin)'' the [[m|en|Devil]].^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[malignitās]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[benignus]]

+ * [[malus]]

+ * [[malevolus]]

+ * [[en|malign]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}