humilitas Latin · revision 32309

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=170–c. 90 BC, Accius|origins=ine-pro *dʰǵʰ-ōm}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [hʊˈmɪ.lɪ.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [uˈmiː.li.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''humilitās''' ''f'' (genitive humilitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|humilis|-tās|t1=low, humble]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan lists [[m|la|humilis]] among the derivatives of [[m|la|humus|t=earth, ground]], which he traces to [[itc-pro|*χomo-]] and [[ine-pro|*dʰǵʰ-ōm|t=earth]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Accius,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who writes in a tragedy that no lowliness of rank ever weakens a good nature.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is physical lowness: lowness of stature, as Cicero's animals so low that they can easily reach their food on the ground, Caesar's low ships, and lowness of position, of the stars.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Most often it is lowness of rank, a humble condition or insignificance, and degradation or humiliation, as in Caesar.^(OLD 2012) Petronius uses it of the commonplace style of Lucilius, and Cicero of submissiveness, contrasting it unfavourably with courage and greatness of spirit.^(OLD 2012) In Church Latin it becomes the virtue of humility, meekness,^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) and Medieval Latin also uses it of a lowly, poor state of life and of oppression.^(Niermeyer 1976) English [[m|en|humility]] (early 14th century) comes from it through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius of lowly rank.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of lowness of stature and of submissiveness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar of low ships and of humiliation.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 14th century – English [[m|en|humility]] comes from it through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Lowness of stature or position.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Lowness of rank, humble condition, insignificance, lowliness.^(OLD 2012)^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Degradation, [[m|en|humiliation]].^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Commonplaceness of style.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Submissiveness;^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary) ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' [[m|en|humility]], meekness, modesty.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[humilis]]

+ * [[humus]]

+ * [[en|humility]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}