confidentia Latin · revision 4439

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Naevius|origins=la fīdō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cōnfīdentia''' ''f'' (genitive cōnfīdentiae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|cōnfīdēns|-ia|t1=confident, bold]],^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) the participle of [[confido|alt=cōnfīdō]] “to trust firmly”, from [[m|la|con-]] and [[fido|alt=fīdō]] “to trust”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Naevius, in a tragedy, says all the confidence of speech has fallen away.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC and marks the attestation as uncertain.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant assurance or self-confidence, and a firm belief, often in the phrase ''cōnfīdentia est'' with an infinitive, as Plautus' slave is confident he can defeat his enemies.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In a bad sense it was audacity or impudence, as Plautus asks with what impudence someone demands so much money, and Cato pairs it with ''audācia''.^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short note that the sense of firm trust is rare, while that of boldness is common.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a sworn promise and, in British documents, trust and letters of credence.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) [[en|confidence]] is recorded around 1400.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of confidence of speech.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of confidence and impudence.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1400 – English ''confidence'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Assurance, [[m|en|self-confidence]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A firm belief or expectation.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Boldness, [[m|en|audacity]], impudence.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A sworn promise; trust.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cōnfīdēns]]

+ * [[cōnfīdō]]

+ * [[en|confidence]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}