Etymologically
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membrum

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈmɛm.brũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɛm.brum][1]

Forms

membrum n (genitive membrī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *memsro-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *mēms-ro- (“body part, fleshy part”), from the word for “flesh”, Proto-Indo-European *mḗms.[2][1] Cognate with Old Irish mír (“portion”), Sanskrit मांस (māṃsá-, “meat”), Ancient Greek μηρός (mērós, “thigh”) and Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌼𐌶 (mimz, “flesh”).[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Twelve Tables use it in the law of retaliation for a broken limb.[3][2] Köbler dates the Twelve Tables c. 450 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a part or organ of the body, a limb, and in the plural the body, as distinct from the mind.[3] It was a part or division of a thing, as Cicero's parts of the world, sky, land and sea, a member of a group or household, and a section of an abstract subject.[3] Döderlein contrasts it with artus, a joint.[6]

In medieval Latin it was also a rump of beef, an outbuilding, an aisle of a church, and a daughter church.[7] It survives as Italian membro and Spanish miembro, and Old French membre gave English member.[1][4]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the parts of the world.[3][5]
  • c. 1300 – English member is recorded as “body part”.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A limb, member (of the body).[3][8]
  2. In the plural, the body.[3]
  3. A part, division (of a thing).[3][1]
  4. A member (of a group).[3][1]
  5. A section (of a subject).[3]
  6. (Medieval Latin) An outbuilding; an aisle; a daughter church.[7]

Word family

  • bimembris
  • membrāna
  • membrātim
  • membrōsus
  • quadrimembris
  • trimembris
  • membrātūra
  • membrō
  • English member
  • English membrane

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press