Etymologically
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extremus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɛkˈstreː.mʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ekˈstrɛː.mus][1]

Forms

extrēmus (superlative, feminine extrēma, neuter extrēmum); first/second declension[1]

Etymology

It is the superlative of exter “outer”, with the suffix -ēmus, from earlier *extrezmo-, from Proto-Italic *eksterisemos.[2][1][3] It developed like postrēmus and suprēmus; compare extimus.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of what is at the end or edge.[2] Köbler's first source is Terence; he dates Cato 234–149 BC and Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant outermost, situated at the end or edge, the end or tip of something, as Caesar's Geneva, the furthest town of the Allobroges, and in Horace living at the world's end.[2][3] It meant hindmost, the rear of an army, as in Caesar.[2] Of time it meant last, the end of, immediately preceding, last remaining, finishing, and in Virgil ending life.[2] From Cicero it meant extreme in degree, exceedingly great, desperate, and stopping at nothing, and in Propertius lowest in importance.[2] Döderlein explains that extrēmus is the outermost part of a space, opposed to intimus and medius.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant extreme, last, final, and the neuter as a noun the end or outermost part.[6] English extreme came through Old French in the early 15th century, first as “outermost, farthest”.[7]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of the end or edge.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of the rear and the furthest town.[2][3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the last and of the extreme.[2][4]
  • early 15th century – English extreme is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Outermost, at the end or edge; the end of; uttermost.[2]
  2. Hindmost; the rear of.[2]
  3. Last, final; the end of, extrēmō tempore, finally.[2]
  4. Extreme, exceedingly great; desperate.[2]
  5. Lowest, least important.[2]

Word family

  • extrēmitās

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com