mensura

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [mẽːˈsuː.ra]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [menˈsuː.ra]^[1]

Forms

mēnsūra f (genitive mēnsūrae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from mētior “to measure” with the suffix -ūra.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Caesar, of measuring time, and Gaffiot cites Caesar's Gallic War for measurement.^[2][4] Köbler's first source is Cicero; he dates Caesar c. 50 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant measuring, measurement, of length or area, as in Vitruvius, of quantity and time, as in Caesar, and a system of measurement, as in Pliny.^[2] It meant a dimension, size, capacity, a quantity, the length of a period, metrical value, as in Quintilian, extent or degree, and intellectual capacity.^[2] It meant a limit not to be exceeded, as in Ovid, a measured quantity or length, and a measuring instrument, as in Cicero, and figuratively a standard.^[2] Isidore defines it as whatever is bounded by weight, capacity, length, height, breadth or mind.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant measure, size.^[7] Medieval Latin used it of a measure of land.^[8] It survives in Italian misura, French mesure and Romanian măsură, and through Old French mesure it gave English measure about 1200, first “moderation”.^[1][9]

Timeline

• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of measuring.^[2][4][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a measuring instrument.^[2][5]
• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of dimensions.^[2][5]
• c. 1200 – English measure is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Measuring, measurement; a system of measures.^[2]
2. A dimension, size; a quantity; a duration.^[2]
3. Metrical value.^[2]
4. Extent, degree; capacity.^[2]
5. A limit; the full amount.^[2]
6. A measure; a measuring vessel; a standard.^[2]

Word family

• mensūrālis
• mēnsūrābilis
• mēnsūrō

Related words

• mēnsūrātiō
• mēnsūrātor
• mētior
• English measure

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com