inermis

Forms

inermis (neuter inerme); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1] The TLL takes the second-declension inermus to be the older form.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from in- (“not”) and arma (“weapons”) with an adjective ending.^[3][1][2] De Vaan traces ⟨arma⟩ to Proto-Italic *armo- and Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)r-mo- (“fitting”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (“to fit together”) of Ancient Greek ἀραρίσκω (ararískō, “to fit together”); the sense went from “things fitted together, tools” to “weapons”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Cicero as its first author.^[5] In the Pro Sestio men attack an unarmed and unprepared tribune with swords.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It is unarmed, of people, as Caesar's soldiers attacked from the side while off guard, or Horace, from whom a wolf fled though he was unarmed;^[3] Ovid says Jupiter would soon be without weapons if he struck every sinner.^[3] Of parts of the body it is defenceless, as Priam stretching out unarmed hands in Virgil.^[3] Figuratively it is unequipped: Cicero's men come to public life naked and unarmed, with no knowledge.^[3] By transfer it is a girl caught without her make-up (Ovid), a calf with no horns yet (Martial), and toothless gums (Juvenal).^[3] Of countries it is without defence (Livy), and of activities peaceful, as Propertius' song of the lyre that is no weapon.^[3]

Church Latin glosses it “unarmed, defenseless”.^[6]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero of an unarmed tribune.^[3][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar of soldiers caught unarmed.^[3][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil of unarmed hands.^[3][5]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of undefended land.^[3][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Unarmed, defenceless;^[3][1][6] (figurative) unequipped.^[3][1][6]
2. Without horns; toothless.^[3][1]
3. (of countries) Without military protection.^[3]
4. (of activities) Peaceful, not done with weapons.^[3]

Related words

• arma
• armātus
• inermus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ 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 e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson