absolut

Forms

absolut m or n (feminine singular absolută, masculine plural absoluți, feminine/neuter plural absolute)^[1] The first record has the form asolut.^[2]

Etymology

It is a learned borrowing borrowed from Latin absolūtus (“complete, unconditional”), with the senses of French absolu.^[2][3][4][5] DEX gives both Latin and French and MDA2 Latin alone;^[6][7][1] Wiktionary takes it from the French word, itself from the Latin participle.^[6][7][1] The variant asolut is from Italian assoluto.^[2]

The Latin word is the perfect participle of absolvō (“to untie, set free, acquit”), formed from ab- and solvō (“to loosen, release”).^[2][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELR's first record is asolut in Văcărescu's grammar of 1787, and Tiktin gives the same year.^[2][5] Negulici's dictionary of neologisms (1848) defines it as self-ruling, independent, subject to no law or condition, and as an adverb “resolutely”.^[9] MDA2 and the DA date it from Maiorescu's speeches, which call for libertatea absolută of expressing ideas.^[7][4]

Semantic evolution

The core sense is “free of every condition and restriction”, in politics an absolute ruler or monarchy with unlimited power.^[6][10] Learned uses followed in grammar (the Greek genitive and Latin ablative absolute), physics, chemistry (alcool absolut “pure alcohol”) and philosophy, where absolutul is what exists in and through itself.^[4][11] DEX also has senses in mathematics (valoare absolută) and economics.^[6][12]

The adverb “completely, entirely” is used to form superlatives and to strengthen a negative: absolut nimeni “absolutely nobody”.^[6][13] In 19th-century Transylvania and Bucovina teolog absolut meant a student who had finished his theology courses without taking the degree, a usage mocked in the Old Kingdom.^[11][4]

Timeline

• 1787 – asolut in Văcărescu's grammar, the first record.^[2][5]
• c. 1832 – absolutism in Iordache Golescu.^[2]
• 1848 – Negulici's dictionary of neologisms, and absolutist.^[9][2]
• c. 1863 – the rare adverb absolutamente in Bărnuțiu.^[2]
• 1866 – libertatea absolută in Maiorescu's parliamentary speeches.^[7][4]
• 1936 – absolutiza “to make absolute” in Cioran.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Independent of every condition and relation, without limits; unconditional, complete, perfect: monarhie absolută “absolute monarchy”.^[6][1]
2. (of social and economic phenomena) Considered in itself and not in comparison with others: adevăr absolut “absolute truth”.^[6][12]
3. (mathematics) Whose value does not depend on the conditions of measurement or on the frame of reference: valoare absolută “absolute value”.^[6]
4. (grammar) In verb absolut, a transitive verb used without its object.^[6][13]
5. (chemistry) Pure, unmixed: alcool absolut.^[7][4]

Noun

1. (philosophy) The absolute: an eternal, unchanging, infinite principle that some philosophies place at the basis of the universe.^[6][14]

Adverb

1. completely, entirely; exactly: un răspuns absolut corect; with negatives, at all: Nu am înțeles absolut nimic.^[6][13][1]

Word family

• absolutism
• absolutist
• absolutiza

Related words

• absolvi
• Latin absolvō
• French absolu

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. absolut
3. ^ Wikționar (Romanian Wiktionary), ro.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. absolut
4. ^ a b c d e f Academia Română (1913–1949), Dicționarul limbii române (DA), ed. Sextil Pușcariu, tom I (A–B, C, D–De) and tom II (F–I, J–Lojniță), București: Socec / Universul / Monitorul Oficial și Imprimeriile Statului; page scans at cflr-scans.solirom.ro, p. s.v. absolut
5. ^ a b c Tiktin, Hariton (2000–2005), Rumänisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., revised by Paul Miron and Elsa Lüder, 3 vols., Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, p. s.v. absolut
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 3
7. ^ a b c d e Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 4
8. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. s.v. absolūtus
9. ^ a b Negulici, I. D. (1848), Vocabular romînesc de toate vorbele streine întroduse pînă acum în limba romînească și de toate cuvintele ce s-ar mai putea introduce încă, București, p. s.v. absolut
10. ^ Candrea, I.-A.; Adamescu, Gh. (1926–1931), Dicționarul enciclopedic ilustrat „Cartea Românească”, București: Cartea Românească, p. s.v. absolut
11. ^ a b Scriban, August (1939), Dicționaru limbii românești (etimologii, înțelesuri, exemple, citațiuni, arhaizme, neologizme, provincializme), Iași: Presa Bună, p. 60
12. ^ a b Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. absolut
13. ^ a b c Macrea, Dimitrie; Petrovici, Emil (coord.) (1955–1957), Dicționarul limbii romîne literare contemporane, 4 vols., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 1, 5
14. ^ Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2002), Noul dicționar explicativ al limbii române, București: Litera Internațional, p. s.v. absolut