famosus Latin · revision 7987

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la fāma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [faːˈmoː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [faˈmɔː.s̬us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fāmōsus''' (feminine fāmōsa, neuter fāmōsum, superlative fāmōsissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[fāma]] “talk, report, fame” with the suffix [[-ōsus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of the ill spoken of.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From Plautus it meant ill spoken of, notorious, infamous, as in Cicero, and in Lucilius notorious for immorality.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Horace it meant much talked of, famous, a sense Lewis and Short call not ante-Augustan, and defamatory, libellous, and in law involving infamy.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Pliny it meant conferring renown.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant renowned, famous.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for a person suspected of a crime.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian and Spanish ''famoso'' and French ''fameux'', and Anglo-French ''famous'' gave [[en|famous]] in the late 14th century, “renowned”, also “notorious”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the notorious.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of the famous and the libellous.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''famous'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Much talked of, [[m|en|famous]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Notorious, [[m|en|infamous]]; of ill fame.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|Defamatory]], libellous.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Conferring renown.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Suspected of a crime.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[famositas]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fāma]]

+ * [[īnfāmis]]

+ * [[en|famous]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}