candidus Latin · revision 675

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkan.dɪ.dʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkan.di.dus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''candidus''' (feminine candida, neuter candidum, comparative candidior, superlative candidissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[candeo|alt=candēre]] “to shine” with the suffix [[m|la|-idus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Its root is also that of [[en|candle]] and [[en|incense]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Ennius onwards,^(Köbler 2010) who writes that “[[m|en|bright]] torches shine”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense was bright or radiant, of light, stars and the sun, and Lewis and Short note that it meant a shining white, as opposed to ''[[albus]]'', a dull white.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It meant white in colour, of snow, stone and the stork, and white in contrast with darker kinds.^(OLD 2012) A white garment marked festivity, and a white toga was worn by candidates for office, whence ''[[candidatus]]''.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) It described white hair, pure animals for sacrifice, and lucky days marked with a white stone.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Of people it meant fair-skinned and beautiful, and of gods radiant.^(OLD 2012) Figuratively it meant happy or fortunate, good-natured, as in Ovid's ''candide lector'' “kind reader”, morally pure, and of style clear and lucid, as of Herodotus.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) English borrowed it in the 1620s as [[en|candid]], first meaning “white, bright”, and later “frank”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of bright torches.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato asks for stone as white as possible.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus speaks of bright days and a day marked with a whiter stone.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil calls Dido ''candida''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian calls Herodotus ''candidus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1620s – English borrows it as [[en|candid]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|bright|alt=Bright]], radiant, clear.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # [[m|en|white|alt=White]]; light-coloured, (of fruit) green.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Dressed in white, (of hair) white with age.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Fair-skinned, beautiful, (of gods) radiant.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of minerals or liquids) Clear, transparent.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lucky, happy; cheerful.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Kindly, good-natured; morally pure.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of style) Clear, lucid, (of the voice) clear.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[candidārius]]

+ * [[candidātus]]

+ * [[candidō]]

+ * [[candidulus]]

+ * [[candidum]]

+ * [[percandidus]]

+ * [[subcandidus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[candeō]]

+ * [[albus]]

+ * [[en|candid]]

+ * [[en|candidate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}