facetus Latin · revision 6524

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [faˈkeː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [faˈt͡ʃɛː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''facētus''' (feminine facēta, neuter facētum, comparative facētior, superlative facētissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is doubtful.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) The ancients derived it from [[faciō]] “to make”, while modern scholars connect it with [[fax]] “torch”, or with [[ine-pro|*ǵʰweh₂k-|t=to shine]], as in [[lt|žvakė|t=candle]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of cleverness and of gentle humour.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant clever, adept, also of speakers and writers, as in Lucilius, and elegant, fine, as in Plautus and Horace.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant gently humorous, witty, as Cicero's witty speakers.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it meant courteous, refined, cultured, and witty, amusing.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian and Spanish ''faceto''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|facetious]] came in the 1590s through French ''facétieux'', from its derivative [[facētia]] “jest”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of writers.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of witty speakers.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1590s – English ''facetious'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Clever, adept; elegant.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # Gently humorous, [[m|en|witty]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Courteous, refined.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[facētia]]

+ * [[perfacētus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[facētē]]

+ * [[facētior]]

+ * [[fax]]

+ * [[en|facetious]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}