fallax Latin · revision 9530

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cato|origins=la fallō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfal.laːks]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfal.laks]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fallāx''' (genitive fallācis, comparative fallācior, superlative fallācissimus, adverb fallāciter); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Genitive plural ''fallācium'', but Catullus has ''fallācum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[fallō]] “to deceive” with the suffix [[-āx]] “inclined to”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) De Vaan reconstructs ⟨fallō⟩ as [[itc-pro|*fal-s-e/o-]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*sgʷʰh₂(e)l-n-|t=to stumble]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's earliest source is Cato, whom he dates 234–149 BC, and the OLD's first citation is from Lucilius.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant deceitful, treacherous, of persons, as in Cicero; misleading, deceptive, of things, as in Lucilius and Cicero's ''spēs fallācēs'' “deceptive hopes”; and not genuine, false, spurious, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant deceitful, vain, unreliable, untrustworthy.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it for deceitful, false, also as a noun, as in Gildas.^(DMLBS) Its noun ''fallācia'' gave [[en|fallacy]] in the late 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of deceitful persons.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 15th century – English ''fallacy'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|deceitful|alt=Deceitful]], treacherous.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Misleading, [[m|en|deceptive]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # False, spurious.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fallācia]]

+ * [[fallāciloquus]]

+ * [[fallācitās]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fallō]]

+ * [[falsus]]

+ * [[en|fallacy]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}