deante

Forms

deante (also written dē ante); preposition with the ablative, also an adverb^[1][2] Conte marks the vowels dĕăntĕ, Köbler writes dē ante.^[1][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin dē (“from”) + ante (“before”),^[3][2] a Late Latin compound.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Conte cites it from the Peregrinatio Aetheriae (37.8), written after AD 384, as a preposition with the ablative meaning “in front of”.^[1][3]

Semantic evolution

Köbler records it in the grammarian Virgilius Maro, of the 7th century, with the senses “before” and “previously”.^[3] Medieval texts use it mostly as an adverb meaning “before, earlier”, as in the additions to the Lex Romana Curiensis and the Freising charters.^[2] British sources have both the preposition, in the sense “away from before (someone)”, and the adverb “formerly”.^[4]

Timeline

• after 384 AD – The Peregrinatio Aetheriae uses it as a preposition, “in front of”.^[1][3]
• 7th century AD – Virgilius Maro the grammarian has it.^[3]
• Middle Ages – Charters and law texts use it as an adverb, “before, previously”.^[2][4]

Meanings

Preposition

1. (with the ablative) In front of, before.^[1][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) Away from before, from the presence of.^[4]

Adverb

1. (Medieval Latin) Before, previously, formerly.^[2][4]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
2. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e 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