metricus

Forms

metricus (feminine metrica, neuter metricum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μετρικός (metrikós, “of measure, metrical”),^[2][3][4] from μέτρον (métron, “measure”).^[5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Elder has it first, of the pulse of the arteries, which Herophilus described as following fixed rhythmic laws.^[2][6][5]

Semantic evolution

Quintilian applies it to metrical feet.^[2][3] Gellius calls the experts on metre metrici.^[2][3] Late grammarians set metrical diction against prose, as Cassiodorus does, and Isidore reports that the psalms were composed in metre among the Hebrews.^[3]

In medieval Latin it meant metrical, as distinct from prose or from rhythmic verse: Aldhelm speaks of Sedulius' metrical preface, and Bede turned a metrical work into prose.^[7] Niermeyer records metricus as a noun for a poet.^[8] New Latin used it for the metric system,^[1] which English calls metric after French.^[9]

Timeline

• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder, of the rhythm of the pulse.^[2][5]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian speaks of metrical feet.^[2][5]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius uses metrici for prosodists.^[2][5]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm, of a metrical preface.^[7][5]
• 1855 – English metric, from French.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of measure; of the pulse, rhythmic.^[2][6]
2. Of metre, metrical.^[2][6][10]
3. (New Latin) Of the metric system.^[1]

Noun

1. An expert on metre, a prosodist.^[2][11]
2. (Medieval Latin) A poet.^[8]

Related words

• metrum
• English metric

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
11. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.