niteo Latin · revision 4962

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnɪ.te.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈniː.te.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''niteō''' (present infinitive nitēre, perfect active nituī); second conjugation, no passive, no supine stem^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan says the Latin words are best explained from a participle *nitos “made bright”, but no Indo-European root fits the form and meaning.^(de Vaan 2008) If [[renīdeō]] “to shine back” belongs here, the root would be *neit-.^(de Vaan 2008) The Oxford Latin Dictionary compares [[mga|níam|t=brightness]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it of sheep with a healthy sheen.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was of the sky and heavenly bodies to shine, as Lucretius' sky shining with diffused light, of polished things to glitter, and of people to gleam with ointment, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It was of animals to be sleek, of fields and plants to look thriving, of wealth to abound, and figuratively to stand out or excel.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Of style it was to be polished.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein counts it among words for a steady brightness.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ Its adjective ''nitidus'' “gleaming, trim” gave French ''net'' and English ''neat''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of sleek sheep.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the shining sky.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1540s – English ''neat'' “clean” is recorded, from ''nitidus''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|shine]], be radiant.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To [[m|en|glitter]], sparkle, glisten.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of animals, to be [[m|en|sleek]]; of fields, to thrive.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be conspicuous, excel; of style, to be polished.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ēniteō]]

+ * [[interniteō]]

+ * [[nitēla]]

+ * [[nitefaciō]]

+ * [[nitēscō]]

+ * [[nitidus]]

+ * [[nītor]]

+ * [[perniteō]]

+ * [[praeniteō]]

+ * [[reniteō]]

+ * [[nitēns]]

+ * [[nitenter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nitidē]]

+ * [[nitiditās]]

+ * [[nitidiusculē]]

+ * [[nitidiusculus]]

+ * [[nitidō]]

+ * [[nitidulus]]

+ * [[renīdeō]]

+ * [[en|neat]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}