magnanimitas Latin · revision 33421

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''magnanimitās''' ''f'' (genitive magnanimitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|magnanimus|-tās|t1=great-souled, noble]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) That adjective is formed from [[m|la|magnus|t=great]] and [[m|la|animus|t=soul, spirit]],^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) and Wiktionary takes it as a calque of [[grc|μεγαλόψυχος|tr=megalópsukhos]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it first, once, in Cicero,^(TLL) who names it as one of the four sources of what is honourable: ''quarum una est cognitiōnis, altera commūnitātis, tertia magnanimitātis, quarta moderātiōnis'', “of which one belongs to knowledge, the second to fellowship, the third to greatness of soul, the fourth to moderation”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The TLL notes that it was at first a word of philosophy, used after Cicero by Seneca and Pliny, and absent from the poets.^(TLL) It means highmindedness, loftiness of spirit:^(OLD 2012) Seneca writes that greatness of soul cannot stand out unless it despises everything that the crowd wants most,^(TLL) and Pliny the Younger's ''Panegyricus'' says that it was magnanimity always to abstain from an honour that was eagerly sought.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Florus writes of the magnanimity of generals and of the Roman people,^(TLL) and it is also found in Tertullian, Ammianus and Macrobius.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) In Ecclesiastical Latin it is greatness of soul.^(Stelten 1995) It is the source of Italian ''magnanimità''.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero names it among the four parts of the honourable.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it in his letters and in ''On Mercy''.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 120 AD – Florus writes of the magnanimity of the Roman people.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of a philosopher facing death.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 390 AD – Ammianus Marcellinus uses it.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|highmindedness|alt=Highmindedness]], loftiness of spirit, [[m|en|magnanimity]], greatness of soul.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[magnanimus]]

+ * [[pusillanimitās]]

+ * [[en|magnanimity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}