finitimus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [fiːˈnɪ.tɪ.mʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [fiˈniː.ti.mus]^[1]

Forms

fīnitimus (feminine fīnitima, neuter fīnitimum); first/second-declension adjective^[1] The older spelling is fīnitumus.^[2]

Etymology

It is from fīnis “boundary” with the suffix -timus, from Proto-Indo-European ⟨*-(t)m̥mos⟩, as in maritimus and lēgitimus.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is the Rhetorica ad Herennium, which he dates 86/82 BC, and the OLD's earliest citation is from it, “closely allied, kindred”.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

It meant situated on the boundary, neighbouring, adjacent, of places in Cicero, and of wars involving neighbouring peoples.^[2] Surveyors used it of boundaries, and the Rhetorica ad Herennium of what is closely allied, kindred.^[2] Lewis & Short give vīcīnus and cōnfīnis as synonyms.^[3]

British Medieval Latin used it for neighbouring, and as a noun for a neighbour.^[5]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of places.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Bordering, neighbouring, adjacent.^[2]
2. Of neighbouring peoples.^[2]
3. Marking a boundary.^[2]
4. Kindred, closely allied.^[2]

Word family

• fīnitima
• fīnitimī

Related words

• fīnālis
• fīniēns
• fīniō
• fīnis
• fīnītiō
• fīnītīvus
• fīnītor
• fīnītus
• vīcīnus
• maritimus

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ 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