contemptim

Forms

contemptim (comparative contemptius, superlative contemptissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin contemnō (“to despise, scorn”) + -tim, an adverb in -tim.^[2][1] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of that verb, which he takes to be older than the simple temnō, a back-formation from it.^[3] He gives Proto-Italic *(ḱom-)tmne/o- and Proto-Indo-European *tm-n(e)-h₁- (“to cut”) as the reconstruction, but calls the etymology disputed: “scorn” probably grew out of a more concrete sense, either “to cut”, with Ancient Greek τέμνω (témnō, “to cut”), or a root meaning “to shake violently, pound”, which he thinks is probably not Indo-European.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it first in Naevius,^[3][4] in the line superbiter contemptim conterit legiones, “proudly, contemptuously he grinds down the legions”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Plautus uses it of insulting speech,^[2][6] and Lucretius of envy hurling men down from the heights into Tartarus.^[2] Lewis and Short call it a favourite word of Livy, rare elsewhere;^[5] Livy uses it of speaking scornfully of the Romans,^[2][5] and also, with Pliny the Elder and Tacitus, in a second sense: without regard to danger, fearlessly, as of men who rushed into battle in disorder.^[2][6] The comparative contemptius occurs in Seneca and Suetonius.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of crushing the legions.^[2][3][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of insulting speech.^[2][4]
• 59 BC–AD 17 – Livy uses it often, of scornful speech and of fearless attack.^[2][5][4]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of barbarians roaming about without fear.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Contemptuously, scornfully.^[2][5]
2. Without regard to danger, fearlessly.^[2][6]

References

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