astus

Meaning

1. (ablative, declension-4, usually) (by) craft, cunning, guile (with a positive or negative connotation)
2. (declension-4, plural-normally) tricks, stratagems

Concepts

m

Ⓜ️

craftiness

cunning

callidity

Synonyms

vulpes

🦊

Translations

astúcia

Durchtriebenheit

πονηριά

astuce

roublardise

astuzia

furberia

scaltrezza

furbata

astucia

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈaːs.tʊs]

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. Suggestions include:
* 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.
* from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱst-, Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”) - compare Lithuanian aksti̇̀s, Latvian aksts (“prickle, sharp point”), Proto-Celtic *akstīno- (“furze, gorse”). In this case, the Proto-Italic form would be *akstus.
A long vowel is once attested for ā̆stūtia, which would be unexpected but paralleled by ācer. Attested since Plautus (second half of the 3d century BCE).