titillo Latin · revision 34751

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=96–55 BC, Lucretius}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tītillō''' (present infinitive tītillāre, perfect active tītillāvī, supine tītillātum); first conjugation^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The OLD calls it onomatopoeic and compares [[grc|τιτθός|tr=titthós]].^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary gives it as either imitative of the sound of giggling or a reduplicated form made from [[grc|τίλλω|tr=tíllō|t=to pluck, annoy]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Lucretius is the first to use it, of slightly projecting angles that tickle the senses rather than hurt them.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero uses it with ''quasi'' (“so to speak”) of pleasure that tickles the senses and of flatterers who tickle the fickle crowd with pleasure.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Horace glory tickles men, and Seneca asks whether one wishes to tickle grief, and uses it absolutely of amusing oneself with trifles.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Christian writers used it of the flesh and of desires: Tertullian of the flesh, Jerome of the desire for clerical office, Augustine of old habit, Lactantius of the enticements that tickle souls.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to tickle, titillate.^(Stelten 1995) English formed ''titillate'' in the 1610s as a back-formation from ''titillation''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the senses being tickled.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of pleasure and flattery.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace says glory tickles men.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of the flesh.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1610s – English forms [[m|en|titillate]] from ''titillation''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|tickle]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To stimulate pleasantly, [[m|en|titillate]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''(figurative)'' to excite or entice.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To amuse oneself.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tītillāmentum]]

+ * [[tītillātiō]]

+ * [[tītillātus]]

+ * [[tītillus]]

+ * [[tītillōsus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|titillate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}