Etymologically
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aemulus

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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
  • 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