virilitas Latin · revision 36349

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=second half of the 1st century BC, Bellum Alexandrinum|origins=ine-pro *wiH-ró-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''virīlitās''' ''f'' (genitive virīlitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|virīlis|-tās|t1=of a man, manly]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The adjective is formed from [[m|la|vir|t=man]], probably on its genitive ⟨virī⟩;^(de Vaan 2008) de Vaan traces ⟨vir⟩ to [[itc-pro|*wiro-]] and [[ine-pro|*wiH-ró-|t=man, young man, warrior]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[xum|uiro|t=company of men]], [[sga|fer]], [[sa|वीर|tr=vīrá-|t=man, hero]] and [[lt|výras|t=man, husband]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from the ''Bellum Alexandrinum'',^(Köbler 2010) which speaks of restoring manhood to castrated men, ''exsectīs virīlitātem restituere''.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short think it was perhaps not used before Augustus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is the state of being a sexually mature or potent man, manhood, as in Seneca, Pliny the Elder, Martial and Tacitus;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Columella and Pliny use it of animals too.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) By metonymy it named the male genitals, in Pliny the Elder, Quintilian and Apuleius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis and Short and Georges also give the age of manhood for a passage of Pliny.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ Figuratively it meant manly quality of character and conduct: Valerius Maximus calls the custom of watching the games standing a mark of Roman manliness, and Quintilian says such manly vigour should be sought from the early writers.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) English took ''virility'' from French in the 1580s, first for the period of manhood, then for the power of procreation (1590s) and manly strength (about 1600).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * second half of the 1st century BC – The ''Bellum Alexandrinum'' uses it of manhood restored to castrated men.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the male organ.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of manly vigour.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1580s – English borrows [[m|en|virility]] through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|manhood|alt=Manhood]], [[m|en|masculinity]]; the state of a sexually mature man.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(by metonymy)'' The male [[m|en|genitals]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Manly [[m|en|vigour]] of character or conduct.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vir]]

+ * [[virīlis]]

+ * [[en|virility]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}