Etymologically
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item

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɪ.tẽː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiː.tem][1]

Forms

item (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is related to ita “thus” and itidem “in the same way”.[2][1][3] Lewis & Short analyse it as the pronoun stem i- of is with an accusative ending, as in tam, and compare Sanskrit इत्थम् (itthám, “thus”).[4][2] Wiktionary suggests Proto-Indo-European *éy and *só, while Etymonline derives it from ita or id with an adverbial ending.[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, in the Curculio, has a character answer “I want the same”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant in the same manner, similarly, as Terence says many good men had done the same, and Cato in his recipes says to cook a cake likewise.[2] As a correlative, item … ut meant “just as … so”, as in Plautus' saying that a slave should be like his masters.[2] It also meant in turn, for one's part, and in addition, likewise, also, introducing a further item in a list.[2][7]

Etymonline notes that it introduced a new fact, and in French and English it was put before every article in an inventory or bill.[5] English item is recorded in the late 14th century meaning “moreover”, and it became a noun, an article in a list, in the 1570s.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][6]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it in recipes.[2][6]
  • late 14th century – English item is recorded as an adverb.[5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. In the same way, likewise, similarly.[2][1]
  2. item … ut, just as … so.[2][1]
  3. In turn, for one's part.[2]
  4. Also, further, in addition.[2][1]

Word family

  • itidem

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.