infimus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈĩː.fɪ.mʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiɱ.fi.mus]^[1]

Forms

īnfimus (superlative, feminine īnfima, neuter īnfimum); first/second declension^[1] Also infumus.^[2]

Etymology

It is the superlative of īnferus “lower”, inherited from Proto-Italic *enðemos, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *n̥dʰm̥Hó- (“lowest”), from *n̥dʰér (“below”).^[2][1][3] The other superlative is īmus.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, infumātīs infimus “lowest of the low” at table.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant lowest in position, bottommost, as in Cicero; deepest, the depths; furthest down on a page; at table, the lowest place; of fingers, furthest from the thumb, as in Apuleius.^[2] Of rank or circumstances it meant humblest, lowest, as in Cicero; of people vilest, and of the populace its meanest part, as in Terence; of prices lowest, as in Livy.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant lowest, meanest, of the lower world.^[5] In Medieval Latin lēx infima was the lower jurisdiction.^[6] British Medieval Latin also used it of the lowest tide and the lowest pitch.^[7] It survives in Italian infimo and French infime.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of the vilest.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of position and rank.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Lowest, Bottommost; deepest.^[2]
2. Humblest; vilest, meanest.^[2]
3. (of prices) Lowest.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) lēx infima lower jurisdiction.^[6]

Word family

• infimitas

Related words

• īmus
• īnferior
• īnfrā
• īnferus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ 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