Etymologically
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immoderate

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Forms

immoderātē (comparative immoderātius, superlative immoderātissimē)[1][2] It is also spelled ⟨inmoderātē⟩.[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin immoderātus (“unrestrained, immoderate”) + -ē.[1][3] The adjective is in- (“not”) and moderātus (“restrained, moderate”), from moderor (“to control, restrain”), which de Vaan lists among the derivatives of modus (“measure”);[4] that noun goes back to Proto-Italic *medo- (“measure, judgement”) and Proto-Indo-European *med-o- (“measure”).[4] Cognate with Umbrian meřs (“law”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,[5] who in De natura deorum says that the tongue shapes the voice that is poured out without control.[1][2]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is without rule or control:[1][6] Cicero uses it of moving at random and without rule, the Bellum Africum of troops now withdrawing behind the gates and now coming out without plan, and Quintilian of breath let out without control.[1][6]

More often it means without restraint, immoderately or intemperately.[1][7] Cicero complains of people who abuse his good nature immoderately and ungratefully and writes of living immoderately and intemperately;[1][2] Livy, Valerius Maximus, Seneca and Tacitus use it too,[1] and Suetonius has the comparative of bidding too high at an auction.[6] The Historia Augusta has the superlative of rejoicing beyond measure.[6]

British medieval writers used it of behaviour, as Goscelin of mourning so immoderately, and of physical conditions, as Gerald of Wales of the wind.[8]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the voice poured out without control.[1][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of excessive desire.[1][5]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses the comparative of bidding too high.[6][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Without rule or control, in an unregulated way.[1][6]
  2. Without restraint, immoderately, intemperately.[1][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  3. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ 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