aemulus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈae̯.mʊ.ɫʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.mu.lus]^[1]

Forms

aemulus (feminine aemula, neuter aemulum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is a diminutive *aimelo- of Proto-Italic *aimo- (“imitation”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ei-mo-.^[2][1] Cognate with Hittite himma- (“imitation, substitute”).^[2][1] De Vaan suggests that the noun “rival” may be older than the adjective.^[2] The OLD and TLL compare imitor and imāgō.^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Plautus, and de Vaan from Lucretius.^[5][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant striving to equal or outdo someone, rival, then jealous or envious, and equal or comparable to something.^[3] As a noun aemulus was a rival or competitor, a rival in love, a zealous imitator, and an equal or peer.^[3] Terence uses it of a rival in love, and Cicero of two rivals of the praetor.^[3]

Döderlein distinguishes imitor, merely copying, from aemulārī, copying in order to win equal or greater regard.^[6] In medieval Latin it often meant an enemy, and in British usage also the devil.^[7][8] English emulous comes from it, and English emulate from the verb aemulor.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[5]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a rival in love.^[3][5]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English emulous is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Striving to equal or excel, emulous, rival.^[3]
2. jealous, envious.^[3]
3. Equal, comparable (to).^[3]

Noun

1. A rival, competitor; a rival in love.^[3]
2. A zealous imitator.^[3]
3. An equal, peer.^[3]
4. (Medieval Latin) An enemy; the devil.^[7][8]

Word family

• aemula
• aemulor

Related words

• imāgō
• imitor
• English emulous
• English emulate

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com