Etymologically
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impedimentum

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪm.pɛ.diːˈmɛn.tũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [im.pe.diˈmɛn.tum][1]

Forms

impedīmentum n (genitive impedīmentī); second declension[1] It is also spelled inpedīmentum, Paulus' epitome of Festus has an archaic impelīmenta.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin impediō (“to hinder, entangle”) + -mentum.[2][4][1][5] impediō is in- with the stem of pēs (“foot”); de Vaan takes the sense of ⟨-pedīre⟩ from ⟨-pedēs⟩ “fetters” (as in compedēs), so “to shackle the feet”,[6][5] and traces pēs to Proto-Indo-European *pṓds (“foot”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Plautus.[7] Cicero says that Demosthenes overcame the obstacles of nature by diligence and hard work.[2]

Semantic evolution

Impedīmentum is a hindrance or obstacle, abstract (Cicero) or physical (Sisenna: they clear every obstacle from the roads).[2][3] In the plural impedīmenta is the baggage of an army or a traveller (Cicero: Clodius on horseback, with no carriage and no baggage).[2][1]

In canon law it is an impediment, a fact that stands in the way of an act such as a marriage.[8] English impediment (c. 1400) comes from it, partly through Old French.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of the impedīmenta nātūrae of Demosthenes.[2][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: Clodius nūllīs impedīmentīs.[2][7]
  • c. 1400 – English impediment.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A hindrance, obstacle, impediment.[2][3][1][8]
  2. A physical obstruction.[2]
  3. (plural) baggage, luggage (of an army or traveller).[2][1]
  4. (canon law) An impediment (to marriage or another act).[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson