comparabilis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔm.paˈraː.bɪ.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kom.paˈraː.bi.lis]^[1]

Forms

comparābilis (neuter comparābile); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1] It is also spelled conparābilis.^[2]

Etymology

It is from comparō “to match, compare” with the suffix -bilis, from pār “equal”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC, and Lewis & Short cite his De inventione.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant similar, comparable, that may be compared, as in Cicero and Livy.^[2][6] Lewis & Short call it very rare.^[5]

British Medieval Latin used it for subject to comparison and comparable, similar.^[7] It survives in Italian comparabile and French comparable, and gave English comparable in the early 15th century.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[4][5]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it.^[6][4]
• early 15th century – English comparable is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Comparable, similar.^[2]

Word family

• incomparābilis

Related words

• comparō
• pār
• English comparable

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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