astusとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源

From Proto-Italic *akstus, of uncertain origin, suggestions include:^[1]

• from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱst-, Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”) - compare Lithuanian akstìs, Latvian aksts (“prickle, sharp point”), Proto-Celtic *akstīno- (“furze, gorse”);
• from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd-*sth₂u- (“a standing by”), from *steh₂-, thus formed to astō (“to stand by”) like the verb praestō to the adverb of the same form, with a by-form praestū. In this case the full nominal declension is secondary;
• from Ancient Greek ἄστυ (ástu), from the common characterization of city-dwellers as more intelligent, also seen in urbānus; however, in the latter this appears to be a Late Republican development.

A long vowel is once attested for ā̆stūtia, which would be unexpected but parallelled by ācer. Attested since Plautus (second half of the 3d century BCE).