fundamentum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [fʊn.daːˈmɛn.tũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [fun.daˈmɛn.tum]^[1]

Forms

fundāmentum n (genitive fundāmentī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from fundō “to lay the bottom of, found” with the suffix -mentum.^[2][1][3] ⟨Fundō⟩ is from fundus “bottom”.^[1][4] Isidore says it is so called because it is the ⟨fundus⟩ of the house.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of the foundation of a house and figuratively of a basis.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant the substructure of a building, a foundation, mostly in the plural, as Cicero's fundāmenta agere and Virgil's fundāmenta locāre, and ā fundāmentīs dīruere was to raze to the ground.^[2][7][8] Figuratively it meant that on which a thing rests, a basis, and in Varro a fundamental necessity; poets use it of something founded, as Saguntum.^[2] Manilius uses it apparently of the nadir in astrology.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant foundation, base, establishment, and Isidore applies it to Christ, on whom the Church is built.^[9][5] Old French fondement gave English fundament in the late 13th century, meaning both “foundation” and “buttocks”.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a house's foundation.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses fundāmenta agere.^[8][6]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore explains it from fundus.^[5][6]
• late 13th century – English fundament is recorded, through Old French.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The foundation of a building.^[2][7]
2. (astrology) The nadir.^[2]
3. A basis, foundation; a fundamental necessity.^[2]
4. (poetic) A foundation, something founded.^[2]

Word family

• fundāmentālis

Related words

• fundāmen
• fundus
• fundō
• English fundament
• English fundamental

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
9. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson