acer Latin · revision 5649

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Naevius|origins=ine-pro *h₂eḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈaː.kɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.t͡ʃer]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ācer''' (feminine ācris, neuter ācre, comparative ācrior, superlative ācerrimus, adverb ācriter); third-declension three-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*ā̆kri-|t=sharp]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₂eḱ-ro-|t=sharp]], from the root *h₂eḱ- “sharp” of [[aciēs]] and [[acus]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[osc|akrid|t=sharply]], [[grc|ἄκρος|tr=ákros|t=highest, outermost]] and [[lt|aštrus|t=sharp]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The change from an o-stem to an i-stem may come from [[ocris]] “rugged hill” and [[mediocris]], and the long /ā/ is unexplained.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Naevius, who has the old feminine nominative ''ācer'', while Ennius has the masculine ''ācris''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC and Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant sharp or pointed, and was applied to everything that strikes the senses sharply: pungent tastes and smells, piercing sounds, and bright, dazzling light, as Lucretius' glare that burns the eyes.^(OLD 2012) Of the senses it meant keen, as sight in Cicero is ''ācerrimus'' of the senses; of people, alert, shrewd, then spirited, eager and fierce in battle, and of things violent or severe.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Döderlein notes that ''ācer'' denotes eagerness in a good sense, fire and energy, while ''vehemēns'' is used of heat and passion.^(Döderlein 1874) Vulgar Latin *''ācrus'' gave [[it|agro]], [[es|agrio]] and Old French ''aigre'', the source of [[en|eager]] in the late 13th century, ''ācrimōnia'' gave [[en|acrimony]] in the 1540s and [[en|acrid]] was formed from ''ācer'' in 1712.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius has the masculine ''ācris''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius speaks of a glare that burns the eyes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 13th century – English ''eager'' is recorded, from Old French ''aigre''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1540s – English ''acrimony'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1712 – English ''acrid'' is formed from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Sharp, pointed.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of tastes, smells, sounds) [[m|en|pungent]], piercing, (of light) bright, dazzling.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of the senses) Keen, [[m|en|acute]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Alert, vigilant.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Shrewd, penetrating.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Spirited, eager, [[m|en|fierce]] (in action or battle); violent, severe.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[acerbus]]

+ * [[acredo]]

+ * [[acriculus]]

+ * [[ācrimōnia]]

+ * [[ācritās]]

+ * [[ācritūdō]]

+ * [[acror]]

+ * [[perācer]]

+ * [[subacer]]

+ * [[acernus]]

+ * [[ācriter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acervus]]

+ * [[aceō]]

+ * [[occa]]

+ * [[ocris]]

+ * [[aciēs]]

+ * [[acus]]

+ * [[en|eager]]

+ * [[en|acrid]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Acer, aceris'' (with short ''a''), neuter, is a different word, “maple”, from Proto-Italic *''aker-'', cognate with [[goh|ahorn|t=maple]]; it is found from Ovid on.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}