instinctus Latin · revision 32756

+ ''Instinctus'' is both the participle of the verb ''īnstinguō'', “roused, inspired”, and a fourth-declension noun made from it, “instigation, inspiration”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ {{homograph|1|roused}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ĩːˈstiːŋk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [inˈstiŋk.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''īnstīnctus''' (feminine īnstīncta, neuter īnstīnctum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The participle is [[der|la|īnstinguō|t=to incite, impel]], a verb made from [[m|la|in-]] and a verb ⟨*stinguō⟩ also found in [[distinguo|alt=distinguō]].^(OLD 2012) Walde and Hofmann connected it with [[instigo|alt=īnstīgō]] and a root [[ine-pro|*steig-|t=to prick]], as Etymonline does; the TLL prefers Szemerényi's comparison with [[gem-pro|*stenkw-|t=to collide]].^(TLL)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010) Livy uses it of a man who spoke inspired by a divine spirit.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means excited, roused or fired, and especially roused to anger: Silius has Scipio fired by the slaughter of his men, and Suetonius a man stirred by great injury.^(OLD 2012) It is also inspired by a god: Lucan has a mind possessed by sacred frenzy, Quintilian someone inspired by a Delphic oracle, and Tacitus a speaker roused as if inspired.^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary gives inspired and infuriated.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy, inspired by a divine spirit.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 39–65 AD – Lucan of sacred frenzy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 25–101 AD – Silius of Scipio fired by slaughter.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Participle===

+ # Excited, roused; roused to anger, [[m|en|infuriated]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Roused by a god, [[m|en|inspired]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ {{homograph|2|instigation}}

+

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ĩːˈstiːŋk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [inˈstiŋk.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''īnstīnctus''' ''m'' (genitive īnstīnctūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[af|la|īnstīnctus#1|-tus|alt1=īnstīnctus]], a verbal noun of the fourth declension.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who writes of oracles poured forth by divine inspiration and of the mind roused by a divine impulse.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is instigation or prompting, by people or by gods: Tacitus has something done at the instigation of the town councillors, and Seneca an impulse of the will.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is also excitement, enthusiasm or inspiration: Curtius tells of a woman thought to foretell the future by inspiration, and Tacitus contrasts verse written by inspiration with laboured verse.^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short call it classical and note that it is mostly used in the ablative singular.^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Medieval Latin it is an impulse, a natural propensity, an instinct.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|instinct]] dates from the early 15th century, first meaning a prompting.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of divine inspiration.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus of instigation and of poetic inspiration.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English ''instinct''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|instigation|alt=Instigation]], prompting, impulse; divine impulse.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Excitement, enthusiasm, [[m|en|inspiration]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A natural propensity, [[m|en|instinct]].^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[distinguo|alt=distinguō]]

+ * [[en|instinct]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}