epidemia

Forms

epidēmia f (genitive epidēmiae); first declension^[1][2] In Late Latin it was a neuter plural, epidēmia (genitive epidēmiōrum), second declension, which Medieval Latin reanalysed as a feminine singular.^[1][2] Medieval spellings include epydemia, epidamia and epidimia.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐπιδήμια (epidḗmia), the neuter plural of ἐπιδήμιος (epidḗmios), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) and δῆμος (dêmos, “people”).^[1][4] The DMLBS also compares the noun ἐπιδημία (epidēmía), from which the MLW and Köbler derive it;^[4][2][5] the Greek noun meant a stay in a place and also the prevalence of an epidemic disease.^[6][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Constantine the African, in the 11th century, uses it for a change in the air that is harmful to many at once, a weather favouring disease.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

From the unhealthy state of the air it passed to the outbreak of disease itself, an epidemic or plague,^[2][4] and in English sources it is used especially of the Black Death.^[4] It also named Hippocrates' book on epidemics.^[2][4]

The word reached English through French épidémique, the source of English epidemic (about 1600).^[6]

Timeline

• 1020–1087 – Constantine the African uses it of air harmful to many.^[2][5]
• 1362 – A royal grant says that sound learning has greatly declined through the present epidemic.^[4]
• 1448 – A Hungarian source says a school stood deserted because of a pressing epidemic.^[3]
• c. 1600 – English forms epidemic from French, from the Medieval Latin word.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Late Latin, plural) Epidemic diseases.^[1]
2. (Medieval Latin) A state of the air or weather that favours disease.^[2]
3. (Medieval Latin) An epidemic, plague, pestilence.^[2][4][3]
4. (Medieval Latin) Epidemiae, the title of Hippocrates' work on epidemics.^[2]

Word family

• epidemicus

Related words

• English epidemic

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 Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
4. ^ a b c d e f g 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
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com