expers

Forms

expers (genitive expertis); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1] Turpilius has the form expars.^[2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin ex- (“out of, without”) + pars (“part, share”).^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨pars⟩ to Proto-Italic *parti- (“part”) and reports Schrijver's view that it was made from the present stem of pariō (“to bring forth”), first meaning “lot, portion”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler give Plautus as its first author.^[3][4] In the Amphitruo Sosia complains that his master is himself free of toil (labōris expers).^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is having no share, as Accius' exile “without hope, without a share”, and so lacking or deprived of something, as Terence's girl who must not be left without a share of the family property.^[2][5] It also means taking no part in a matter (Cicero), free or immune from something, and in Pliny the Elder unused to, without experience of.^[2] It usually takes the genitive, less often the ablative.^[2]

Church Latin glosses it “lacking in, destitute”,^[6] and medieval Latin also used it for expertus, “experienced”.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of being free of toil.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence of lacking a share.^[2][4]
• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius of an exile without a share.^[2][4]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of people unused to wine.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Having no share (in), not taking part (in).^[2][1][5]
2. Lacking, destitute (of), without.^[2][1][6]
3. Free (from), immune (from).^[2][1]
4. Without experience (of), unacquainted (with).^[2][1]

Word family

• inexpers

Related words

• pars
• particeps
• expertus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill