elementarius

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɛ.ɫɛ.mɛnˈtaː.ri.ʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [e.le.menˈtaː.ri.us]^[1]

Forms

elementārius (feminine elementāria, neuter elementārium); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from elementum “element; rudiment, letter of the alphabet” with the suffix -ārius.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Seneca, whom he dates 4 BC–65 AD, and Seneca mocks a senex elementārius, an old man learning his letters.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant engaged in learning the rudiments, as in Seneca, and in the Historia Augusta of the alphabet, elementary school.^[2][5] Lewis & Short note it is post-Augustan and very rare.^[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for elemental, made of the four elements.^[7] It gave English elementary in the late 14th century, first “having the nature of one of the four elements”.^[3]

Timeline

• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it.^[4][5]
• late 14th century – English elementary is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Learning the rudiments, elementary.^[2]
2. (Medieval Latin) Elemental.^[7]

Related words

• elementāris
• elementum
• English elementary

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b 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