imperatorius

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪm.pɛ.raːˈtoː.ri.ʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [im.pe.raˈtɔː.ri.us]^[1]

Forms

imperātōrius (feminine imperātōria, neuter imperātōrium, adverb imperātōriē); first/second-declension adjective^[1] It is also spelled inperātōrius.^[2]

Etymology

It is from imperātor “commander” with the suffix -ius, from imperō “to command”.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of a commander.^[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant of a commanding officer, a general, as in Caesar and Cicero, and in Cicero of the title imperātor.^[2][4] In Pliny the Elder and later it meant of the Roman emperor, imperial.^[2]

British Medieval Latin used it of a military commander, as of the count of Flanders.^[5] It was borrowed into Spanish imperatorio.^[1]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[2][3]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of a general.^[4][3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the emperor.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of a general, commander's.^[2]
2. Of the title imperātor.^[2]
3. Of the emperor, imperial.^[2]

Word family

• imperātōriē

Related words

• imperābiliter
• imperātīvē
• imperātīvus
• imperātōr
• imperātrīx
• imperātum
• imperātus
• imperiābiliter
• imperiālis
• imperiōsē
• imperō
• imperium

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. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
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