compluriens

Forms

complūriēns (not comparable)^[1] It is also written ⟨complūriēs⟩,^[2][3][4] and with the prefix spelled ⟨conp-⟩.^[5][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin complūrēs (“several”) + -iēns.^[5][3] De Vaan lists it, with complūrēs, among the derivatives of plūs (“more”),^[6] whose comparative goes back to Proto-Italic *ple/o(H)is and Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁-ios- (“more”).^[6] Cognate with Ancient Greek πλέων (pléōn, “more”), Old Irish lia (“more”) and Old Norse fleiri (“more”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^[6] whose Persa uses it.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

It means several times, more than once.^[5][3] Lewis and Short count it as pre-classical:^[2] after Plautus, Cato uses it in his Origines and his speeches,^[3][4] and later Gellius discusses Cato's and Plautus' uses of it and uses it himself.^[2][4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in the Persa.^[3][7]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it in his Origines and speeches.^[3][7]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius discusses it and uses it himself.^[4][7]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Several times, a good number of times, often.^[5][2]

Related words

• complūrēs
• plūs

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de