portentosus Latin · revision 36542

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''portentōsus''' (feminine portentōsa, neuter portentōsum, comparative portentōsior, superlative portentōsissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(OLD 2012)

+ The variant ''portentuōsus'' is often found in manuscripts.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|portentum|-ōsus|t1=portent, omen]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cicero has it in ''On Divination'', of [[m|en|monstrous]] births from beasts or humans.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It described what is strange and against nature, [[m|en|monstrous]], and in a good sense what has supernatural or miraculous power.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short note that it was not used of abstract things until after the Augustan period;^(Lewis & Short 1879) then Seneca uses it of the extravagant style of Maecenas, and Pliny the Elder of the lies of the Greeks, of the art of magic and of the labyrinth as the most monstrous work of human expense.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Suetonius has it of a boy with a tiny head and of Caligula's outlandish dishes.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ British medieval writers used it, often as ⟨portentuosus⟩, of monstrous creatures and of outlandish, exotic clothes;^(DMLBS) Italian has it as ''portentoso''.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of monstrous births.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Köbler lists Livy among its first writers.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of an extravagant style of speech.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of Greek lies and of magic.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of Caligula's outlandish dishes.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Strange and [[m|en|unnatural|alt=unnatural]], [[m|en|monstrous]], [[m|en|portentous]]; in a good sense, miraculous.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Perversely devised, [[m|en|extravagant]], fantastic (of human works and claims).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Outlandish, [[m|en|exotic]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}