administer

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ad.mɪˈnɪs.tɛr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ad.miˈnis.ter]^[1]

Forms

administer m (genitive administrī, feminine administra); second declension^[1] Also spelled amminister.^[2]

Etymology

It is from ad- and minister “servant, attendant”.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Cicero, administer cupiditātum “agent of his desires”.^[3][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant one who is at hand to help, an assistant, attendant, helper, supporter, literally and figuratively, as in Cicero's Verrines.^[2][5][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant an assistant, attendant, one near to help.^[6] Köbler records it again in a charter of 1136.^[3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[4][3]
• 1136 – A charter uses it.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. An assistant, attendant, helper.^[2][5]

Related words

• administra
• administrō
• minister

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson