conspicuus Latin · revision 31658

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=65–8 BC, Horace|origins=la cōnspiciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [kõːˈspɪ.ku.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [konˈspiː.ku.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cōnspicuus''' (feminine cōnspicua, neuter cōnspicuum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|cōnspiciō|-uus|t1=to catch sight of, notice]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) The verb is formed with [[m|la|con-]] on [[speciō|t=to look at]], which de Vaan traces to [[itc-pro|*spekjō|alt=*spekje/o-]] and [[ine-pro|*spéḱyeti|alt=*speḱ-ie/o-|t=to look]], cognate with [[sa|पश्यति|tr=páśyati|t=sees]], [[grc|σκέπτομαι|tr=sképtomai|t=to look about]] and [[goh|spehōn|t=to spy]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest example is Horace, who says he rightly dreaded raising his head to be seen far and wide.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Ovid.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a word of poetry and of post-Augustan prose, especially Tacitus, and Lewis and Short note that Quintilian does not use it.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Its first sense is “in view, visible”, and ''in cōnspicuō'' is “in full sight”;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Ovid contrasts the hidden and the visible pole.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) More often it means “catching the eye, striking”, of appearance (Ovid's ewe striking with its golden fleece), and then “notable, famous, illustrious”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “visible, conspicuous, striking, remarkable”.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|conspicuous]] (1540s) is borrowed from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of a head raised to be seen.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid of the visible pole and a striking fleece.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1540s – English [[m|en|conspicuous]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Clearly seen, [[m|en|visible]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) ''in cōnspicuō'', in full view.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Attracting attention, striking, [[m|en|conspicuous]]; notable, [[m|en|illustrious]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[incōnspicuus]]

+ * [[sēmiconspicuus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cōnspiciō]]

+ * [[en|conspicuous]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}