silentium Latin · revision 7667
16 Oct 2026, 14:18 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Ennius|origins=la sileō}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [sɪˈɫɛn.ti.ũː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [siˈlɛn.t͡si.um]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''silentium''' ''n'' (genitive silentiī or silentī); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[silēns]] “silent”, the present participle of [[sileō]] “to be silent”, with the suffix [[-ium]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of quiet.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Plautus; he dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant the absence of sound, quiet, and in augury ceremonial silence, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) From Caesar it meant keeping silent, in Horace keeping secrets, and in law failure to make a claim and being barred from pleading.^(OLD 2012) In Cicero it meant the silence of an audience, ''silentium facere'' to call for silence, failure to mention something, lack of comment, obscurity, and tranquillity.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Livy it meant the absence of news, and in Terence inactivity.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant silence, and ''silentiō'' secretly.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for a secret session and for psalmody.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian ''silenzio'' and French ''silence'', and Old French ''silence'' gave [[en|silence]] about 1200.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of quiet.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of inactivity.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of ceremonial silence.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1200 – English ''silence'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # [[m|en|Silence]], quiet; ceremonial silence.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Keeping silent; reticence.^(OLD 2012)
+ # The silence of an audience.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Not mentioning; lack of news; lack of comment.^(OLD 2012)
+ # [[m|en|Obscurity]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # Tranquillity; inactivity.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A secret session.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[silentiarius]]
+ * [[silentiōsus]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[silēns]]
+ * [[silenter]]
+ * [[silentiōsē]]
+ * [[silentus]]
+ * [[sileō]]
+ * [[en|silence]]
+ * [[en|silent]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}