Etymologically
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insimul

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈĩː.sɪ.mʊɫ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈin.si.mul][1]

Forms

īnsimul (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin in (“in”) + simul (“at the same time”).[1][2][3] A spoken form insemul lies behind Italian insieme,[4] and French ensemble also goes back to Late Latin insimul.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short find it first in Statius (c. 45–96 AD), in the Silvae, meaning “at the same time”; in Florus the editors now read insemel.[7][5][3]

Semantic evolution

Classical examples are few: Statius and Paulus' epitome of Festus.[4] In Late and Medieval Latin it became common for “together, in company” and “at the same time”,[1][8][9] and also “in the same place”, “in all, in total” and “in concord, in unison”.[9] Köbler also records it in the laws of the Lombards and of the Ripuarian Franks.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it in the Silvae.[7][5][3]
  • c. 1210 – Gerald of Wales writes of people living together a long time.[10]
  • 1703 – English borrows French ensemble, from Late Latin insimul.[6]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. In company, together.[2][1][10]
  2. At the same time, simultaneously.[7][1][9][8]
  3. (Medieval Latin) In the same place.[9]
  4. (Medieval Latin) In all, in total.[9]
  5. (Medieval Latin) In concord, in unison.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b 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 Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  5. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b c d e f Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  10. ^ 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