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alacer

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Latin

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Somewhat uncertain. The masculine nominative singular form is derived by syncope from alacris which probably developed by dissimilation from pre-Latin *alaklis,[1][2] with the ending ultimately going back to *-tlis, from *-tl-, a variant of the zero-grade of the agent suffix *-tḗr. Compare volucer and volucris. However, De Vaan regards the origin of the *-kris ending as uncertain.[3] The *ala- portion is seemingly from a root of the form *h₂elH-.[2][3][4] De Vaan and Schrijver consider ambulō (to traverse, walk) a potential but not certain cognate, and reconstruct the common root (if the relationship is valid) as Proto-Indo-European *h₂elh₂- (to wander, roam), cognate with Ancient Greek ἀλάομαι (aláomai, roam).[3][4] The same root may alternatively be reconstructed as Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-. Another possible cognate is Ancient Greek ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, to drive), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁elh₂- (to drive). Another theory connects the word to Proto-Germanic *aljaną (vigor, strength), whence English ellen.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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alacer (feminine alacris, neuter alacre, comparative magis alacer or alacrior, superlative maximē alacer or summē alacer or alacerrimus or alacrissimus, adverb alacriter); third-declension three-termination adjective

  1. lively; brisk; quick; eager; active; peppy; excited
    Synonyms: strēnuus, impiger, vīvus, ācer, fortis
    Antonym: sēgnis
  2. glad; happy; cheerful
    Synonyms: libēns, laetus, vīvus, felix, hilaris, hilarus
    Antonyms: trīstis, infelix, maestus, miser, aeger

Usage notes

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  • Traditionally considered to have no morphological superlative in classical Latin, though it is widely attested post-classically.

Declension

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Third-declension three-termination adjective or third-declension two-termination adjective.

singular plural
masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter
nominative alacer
alacris
alacris alacre alacrēs alacria
genitive alacris alacrium
dative alacrī alacribus
accusative alacrem alacre alacrīs
alacrēs
alacria
ablative alacrī alacribus
vocative alacer
alacris
alacris alacre alacrēs alacria

Derived terms

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Descendants

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References

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  1. ^ Ranjan Sen (2015), Syllable and Segment in Latin, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 107
  2. 2.0 2.1 Weiss, Michael L. (2009), Outline of the Historical and Comparative Grammar of Latin[1], Ann Arbor: Beech Stave Press, →ISBN, page 318
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “alacer”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 32
  4. 4.0 4.1 Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1991), The reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European laryngeals in Latin (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 2), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, →ISBN, page 40

Further reading

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  • alacer”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • alacer”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • alacer”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  • Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
    • to show a brisk and cheerful spirit: alacri et erecto animo esse