Etymologically
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immodice

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Forms

immodicē; adverb[1][2] It is also spelled inmodicē.[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin immodicus + -ē.[1][3] The adjective is a compound of in- (“not”) and modicus (“moderate”), from modus (“measure, limit”),[4] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *medo- (“measure, judgement”) and Proto-Indo-European *med-o- (“measure”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Livy,[6] who uses it of boasting and of speech without restraint, as in lingua acerba et immodicē lībera, a bitter and immoderately free tongue.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

In the 1st century AD it is used literally of things flowing beyond measure: Pomponius Mela of the sea, Pliny the Elder of blood from a wound.[3] Seneca writes immodicē flēre, to weep without measure, and Quintilian of claiming eloquence for oneself excessively.[7][3]

In the Medieval Latin of Britain it meant excessively, and also with excessive severity.[8]

Timeline

  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of unrestrained speech and boasting.[3][6]
  • 43/44 AD – Pomponius Mela uses it of the sea flowing beyond measure.[3][6]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca writes of weeping without measure.[7]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Immoderately, excessively, without restraint.[1][2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) With excessive severity.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b 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