Etymologically
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emineo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [eːˈmɪ.ne.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈmiː.ne.o][1]

Forms

ēmineō (present infinitive ēminēre, perfect active ēminuī); second conjugation, no passive, no supine stem[1]

Etymology

It is from ex- (“out”) and a verb *mineō “to jut out”, from Proto-Italic *menēō, from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to stand out”), as in immineō and prōmineō.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Cato, of something projecting, and Plautus, of someone emerging.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to stick out, project, as Cicero's ground with nothing rising to block the view of the sky, of persons to tower, as in Livy, and to emerge from confinement.[2][4][5] In painting it meant to stand out in relief, as in Cicero and Pliny the Elder.[2][5] Figuratively it meant to be pre-eminent, excel, as in Cicero, and of feelings to be plain, reveal themselves.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to stand out, be above, be plain or visible.[6] English eminent came from its participle ēminēns in the early 15th century.[7]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of projecting.[2][3]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of emerging.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of excelling and of relief in painting.[2][5][3]
  • early 15th century – English eminent is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To stand out, project; to tower.[2]
  2. To emerge.[2]
  3. To stand out in relief.[2]
  4. To excel, be pre-eminent.[2]
  5. To be evident.[2]

Word family

  • ēminentia
  • ēminulus
  • praeēmineō
  • superēmineō
  • ēminēns
  • ēminenter

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com