Etymologically
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meridies

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [mɛˈriː.di.eːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [meˈriː.di.es][1]

Forms

merīdiēs m (genitive merīdiēī); fifth declension[1]

Etymology

It is a back-formation from the adverb ⟨merīdiē⟩ “at noon”, by dissimilation from ⟨*medī-diē⟩, the locative of medius “middle” and diēs “day”.[2][1][3] The sense “south” comes from the sun's position at noon.[1] Isidore explains it as ⟨medīdiēs⟩, or from ⟨merum⟩ “pure”, since the sky is then purest.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is the Law of the Twelve Tables, about 450 BC.[3] The OLD's earliest citation for noon is from Terence.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant midday, noon, as in Terence, and in Cato the position of the sun at noon, the south.[2] Döderlein explains that merīdiēs is noon as a point of time between forenoon and afternoon, while medius diēs is the middle of the day as a span.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant midday, noon, south, and per merīdiem at noon.[6] British Medieval Latin used merīdiēs noctis for midnight.[7] It survives in Italian meriggio, and English uses ante merīdiem and post merīdiem abbreviated English a.m. and English p.m..[1][8]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.[3]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of the south.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of noon.[2][3]
  • 1660s – English p.m. is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Midday, noon.[2]
  2. The south.[2]

Word family

  • merīdiālis
  • merīdiānus
  • merīdiōnālis
  • meridionarius
  • prōmerīdiē
  • antemerīdiem
  • merīdiō

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from medius diēs.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  5. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  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
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com