Etymologically
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commodus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈkɔm.mɔ.dʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈkɔm.mo.dus][1]

Forms

commodus (feminine commoda, neuter commodum, comparative commodior, superlative commodissimus, adverb commodē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from com- and modus (“measure”),[2][1] originally “that has the proper measure”.[3] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ⟨modus⟩, which goes back to Proto-Italic *medo- (“measure, judgement”) and Proto-Indo-European *med-o- (“measure”).[4] Cognate with Umbrian mers (“law”) and Oscan meddíss (“magistrate”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Ennius as its first author,[5] who calls a good companion “pleasant, eloquent … obliging”, while de Vaan gives Plautus.[2][4] Plautus has it of full size, as a man “of proper stature”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

First it is of full size or weight, standard, as in Plautus.[2][3] Commonly it is convenient or suitable, as Caesar's “a more suitable season for sailing”, opportune, as Plautus' “here he comes just in time”, and favourable or advantageous, as Terence's “good for you and for my reputation”.[2] Of health it is good, as Caesar's “he was in poor health” (minus commoda).[2] It is agreeable, and of persons pleasant and obliging, as in Ennius.[2][3]

The neuter commodum became a noun “advantage, convenience” and an adverb “just then”, and the adverb is commodē.[4][1] Church Latin glosses it “convenient, fit, polite”.[6]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius of an obliging friend.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of full stature and of convenience.[2][4][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence of what is advantageous.[2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar of good health and a suitable season.[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of full size or weight, standard.[2][3]
  2. Convenient, suitable.[2][1]
  3. Opportune, timely.[2][1]
  4. Favourable, advantageous, (of health) good.[2]
  5. Agreeable, (of persons) pleasant, obliging.[2][1][6]

Word family

  • modus
  • accommodō
  • English commodious
  • English commode

Usage notes

The emperor Commodus (180–192 AD) bore it as a cognomen.[2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson