crebro

Forms

crēbrō (comparative crēbrius, superlative crēbrissimē)^[1] Comparative crēbrius, superlative crēberrimē.^[2]

Etymology

It is an adverb from crēber “close, frequent”, with -ō.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Plautus.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant in many places, thickly, densely, as in Plautus and Varro, and more often frequently, repeatedly, as in Cicero's mittere litterās crēbrō “to write very often”.^[2][4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of frequent letters.^[4][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Thickly, densely.^[2][4]
2. Frequently, repeatedly, often.^[2]

Related words

• crēber
• crēbrēscō
• crēbritās

Usage notes

Lewis & Short treat it under crēber.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press