decrepitus Latin · revision 34293

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la crepō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dēcrepitus''' (feminine dēcrepita, neuter dēcrepitum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is disputed.^(de Vaan 2008) The usual explanation, followed by the OLD and the TLL, is [[af|la|dē-|crepō|t2=to rattle, burst]], from the participle of the verb;^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Walde and Hofmann read it as “rattled off”, which de Vaan finds conceivable but not convincing.^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis & Short and Wiktionary take it as “noiseless”, of old people who creep about like shadows.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ De Vaan notes that it is formed like [[m|la|dēbilis]], [[m|la|dēmēns]] and [[m|la|dēfōrmis]], with a noun or adjective as second member, but without their i-stem and without vowel reduction, so it must be a recent formation.^(de Vaan 2008) He reports Driessen's suggestion that ⟨-crepitus⟩ contains a root meaning “strong”, [[ine-pro|*krep-eto-]], seen in [[mga|crim|t=quick]], [[cy|cryf|t=strong]], [[br|kreñv|t=strong]] and [[non|hræfa|t=to endure]];^(de Vaan 2008) Kluge connected it instead with [[m|la|corpus]].^(TLL)

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+ Festus explained it as one whose life is already [[m|la|creper|t=doubtful]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler find it first in Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who speaks of a ''vetulus, decrepitus senex'', “a little old, decrepit old man”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means worn out with age, enfeebled, decrepit,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) said of old men and old animals,^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) mostly in early Latin: Plautus and Terence use it of old men and old women.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Cicero has it of the age of a short-lived insect, and Seneca writes ''inter decrepitos me numera'', “count me among the decrepit”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Christian writers kept it: the Vulgate has ''senex decrepitus'', Prudentius a decrepit lion, and Commodian “worn out by luxury”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

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+ In medieval Latin it is still very old or infirm,^(Stelten 1995)^(DMLBS) also as a noun for an old man and of abstract things, as Aldhelm's “decrepit old age”.^(DMLBS) English took it in the mid-15th century, through Old French, as [[m|en|decrepit]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus calls an old man ''decrepitus''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero has it of an insect's age.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it as a noun, the decrepit.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has ''senex decrepitus''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it of limbs and of old age.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-15th century – English borrows it as ''decrepit''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Worn out with age, enfeebled, [[m|en|decrepit]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' [[m|en|infirm|alt=Infirm]].^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin, as a noun)'' A very old man.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[crepō]]

+ * [[en|decrepit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}