bellus Latin · revision 5281

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=itc-pro *dweno-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈbɛl.lʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈbɛl.lus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bellus''' (feminine bella, neuter bellum, adverb bellē); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from Old Latin *duenelos, a diminutive of [[m|la|duenos]], the old form of [[bonus]] “good”, through *duenlos and *duellos.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs ''bonus'' as [[itc-pro|*dweno-|t=good]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*duh₂-eno-]].^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis and Short and Gaffiot give the same derivation, as if from *benulus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler gives Plautus first.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010) Plautus asks whether a woman seems pretty, and has a man boast that he was once handsome.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ De Vaan explains that because it was a diminutive it was first used of women and children, and of men only ironically.^(de Vaan 2008) Varro's ''bellior'' still means “better”.^(de Vaan 2008) It meant pretty, handsome or charming, often ironically fine or smart, and of speech or writing nice and witty; of things it meant nice or excellent.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short note that it is most frequent before Cicero and in the poets, and in Cicero mostly in his letters.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ It survives in [[it|bello]], [[fr|beau]] and [[ca|bell]].^(Wiktionary) A Vulgar Latin *bellitātem gave Old French ''biauté'' and [[en|beauty]] in the early 14th century, and French ''beau'' and ''belle'' were taken into English in the 18th and 17th centuries.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a pretty woman.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses ''bellior'' in the sense “better”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 14th century – English ''beauty'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1620s – English ''belle'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|pretty]], handsome, charming.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(often ironic)'' Fine, smart, admirable.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of speech)'' Nice, witty.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of things)'' Nice, excellent; pleasant.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[belliātus]]

+ * [[bellitūdō]]

+ * [[bellulus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bonus]]

+ * [[bene]]

+ * [[en|beauty]]

+ * [[en|belle]]

+ * [[en|beau]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}