gravitas Latin · revision 7289

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Lucilius|origins=la gravis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɡra.wɪ.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡraː.vi.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gravitās''' ''f'' (genitive gravitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[gravis]] “heavy” with the suffix [[-tās]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucilius, of heaviness.^(OLD 2012) Köbler also starts with Lucilius, whom he dates c. 180–102 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant heaviness, weight, as Caesar's ''armōrum gravitās'', and a heavy condition of the body or spirits, as in Lucretius, dullness of the senses, and laboured breathing.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant oppressiveness of climate, unhealthiness, the heaviness of sleep, and rankness of smell or taste.^(OLD 2012) From Cicero it meant severity, sternness, strictness of morals, grievousness of punishment, and above all seriousness, dignity, solemnity, earnestness, and the authority or influence of a person or institution.^(OLD 2012) In an unfavourable sense it meant the gravity of a disease or wound.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein explains that ''sevēritās'' is earnestness in the mind, ''gravitās'' earnestness as it impresses others.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant weight.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it of injury, oppression.^(Niermeyer 1976) [[en|gravity]] came about 1500 through Old French, first “dignity, seriousness”, and [[en|gravitas]] was taken from Latin in 1924.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of bodily heaviness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of dignity and authority.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1500 – English ''gravity'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1924 – English ''gravitas'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Heaviness, weight.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Heaviness of body or spirits; dullness.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Oppressiveness; unhealthiness.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Rankness of smell.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Severity; austerity.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Seriousness, dignity, [[m|en|gravity]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Authority, influence.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Seriousness of a disease.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[graviter]]

+ * [[gravitō]]

+ * [[gravis]]

+ * [[sevēritās]]

+ * [[en|gravity]]

+ * [[en|gravitas]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}