ambiguus Latin · revision 8454

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [amˈbɪ.ɡu.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [amˈbiː.ɡu.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ambiguus''' (feminine ambigua, neuter ambiguum, adverb ambiguē); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[ambigō]] “to wander about; to waver, dispute” with the suffix [[-uus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) ⟨Ambigō⟩ is from [[amb-]] “around” and [[agō]] “to drive”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of a matter not yet decided.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant undecided, doubtful, and of people wavering, as in Tacitus.^(OLD 2012) Livy used it of an unsteady aim and of a battle whose outcome was in doubt, and Ovid of monsters of mixed form, and Virgil of what might be one thing or the other, even of either sex.^(OLD 2012) Varro used it of words with more than one meaning, and Virgil of untrustworthy people.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''dubius'' and ''ambiguus'', doubt about success or failure, from ''anceps'', doubt about whether something will be at all.^(Döderlein 1874) It survives in Italian and Spanish ''ambiguo'', and gave [[en|ambiguous]] in the 1520s, “of doubtful nature, open to various interpretations”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of words with double meaning.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of hybrid monsters.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1520s – English ''ambiguous'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Undecided, [[m|en|doubtful]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Wavering, hesitating.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Of uncertain outcome.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Of mixed form, hybrid.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Having more than one meaning, [[m|en|ambiguous]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Untrustworthy.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ambiguitās]]

+ * [[ambiguum]]

+ * [[ambiguē]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ambāgēs]]

+ * [[ambigō]]

+ * [[en|ambiguous]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}