Etymologically
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commodum

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈkɔm.mɔ.dũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈkɔm.mo.dum][1]

Forms

commodum n (genitive commodī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of commodus (“suitable, convenient”), used as a noun and, in the accusative, as an adverb.[2][1] commodus is formed from com- and modus (“measure”);[3][1] de Vaan derives modus from Proto-Italic *medo- (“measure, judgement”), from Proto-Indo-European *med-o- (“measure”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses both: the noun in nē umquam eōrum quisquam invideat prōrsus commodīs, “that none of them should ever envy another's good fortune”, and the adverb in ad aquam praebendam commodum advēnī domum, “I have just come home to fetch water”.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

As a noun commodum is “an advantage, benefit”, usually in the plural, and “profit, interest” (Terence: sī ex eā rē plūs malī est quam commodī, “if more harm than good comes of it”).[2][5][1] With a possessive it is “convenience”, commodō meō “at my convenience”, and it also means “a reward, bounty, salary”, as of soldiers' benefits in Cicero.[2][1]

As an adverb commodum is “just, this very minute”, of something just done, and “just then, at that moment” (Plautus: ecce autem commodum aperītur foris, “but look, just now the door is opening”).[2][1] Church Latin glosses the noun “blessing, favor, convenience”,[6] and in Medieval Latin it can mean “a bribe”.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the noun and the adverb.[2][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence: plūs malī … quam commodī.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of soldiers' rewards.[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An advantage, benefit;[2][5][1][6] profit, interest.[2][1]
  2. convenience;[2][1][6] commodō meō: at my convenience.[2]
  3. A reward, bounty, salary; a privilege.[2][1]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A bribe.[7]

Adverb

  1. Just, a moment ago.[2][1]
  2. Just then, at this very moment;[2][1] in the nick of time.[1]

Word family

  • commodulum

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill