compromissum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔm.proːˈmɪs.sũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kom.proˈmis.sum]^[1]

Forms

comprōmissum n (genitive comprōmissī); second declension^[1] It is also spelled conprōmissum.^[2]

Etymology

It is the neuter of ⟨comprōmissus⟩, the participle of comprōmittō “to agree to arbitration”, used as a noun.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC, and Cicero has comprōmissum facere “to make a compromise”.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a joint promise by two or more parties to abide by the award of an arbitrator, as in Cicero's speeches for Roscius the actor and against Verres.^[2][6][5]

In Medieval Latin it had the senses of comprōmissiō, an agreement to arbitrate.^[7] It survives in Italian compromesso and Spanish compromiso, and through Old French compromis it gave English compromise in the early 15th century, “a joint promise to abide by an arbiter's decision”.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[4][5]
• early 15th century – English compromise is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. An agreement to submit to arbitration, a compromise.^[2]

Word family

• comprōmissārius

Related words

• comprōmittō
• prōmissum
• English compromise

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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill