praeferox Latin · revision 36105

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=59 BC–17 AD, Livy|origins=ine-pro *ǵʰueh₁r-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈprae̯.fɛ.roːks]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈprɛː.fe.roks]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praeferōx''' (genitive praeferōcis); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|prae-|ferōx|t1=very|t2=fierce, bold]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan lists [[m|la|ferōx]] among the derivatives of [[m|la|ferus|t=wild]], which goes back to [[itc-pro|*χwero-]] and [[ine-pro|*ǵʰueh₁r-|t=wild animal]]; he suggests that ⟨ferōx⟩ may be a source of the suffix ⟨-ōx⟩, from a compound meaning “having a fierce look”, but admits this can be disputed.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[grc|θήρ|tr=thḗr|t=wild animal]] and [[lt|žvėrìs|t=wild animal]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Livy,^(Köbler 2010) who uses it of men of very impetuous spirit whose attempts the decemvirs had to check.^(TLL)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means very fierce, impetuous or overbearing, and is said of people and their temper.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Lewis and Short think it perhaps not found before Augustus.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Livy uses it of Roman envoys to the Gauls who were more like Gauls than Romans, and Tacitus of Montanus, very fierce in character and ready for revolt, of the Batavians, bold at first and overconfident in success, of foreign peoples slow to make peace, and of Drusus.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Suetonius uses it of Pharnaces, made overbearing by many successes in war.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Ausonius may use it of elephants.^(TLL)

+

+ Ecclesiastical Latin used it for very cruel,^(Stelten 1995) and Osbern of Gloucester explains it simply as very fierce.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of impetuous men and of envoys to the Gauls.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of the Batavians and of Drusus.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of Pharnaces.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Very [[m|en|impetuous]], very high-spirited; very [[m|en|fierce]] or overbearing.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Very [[m|en|cruel]].^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ferōx]]

+ * [[ferus]]

+ * [[ferōcia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}