Etymologically
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momentum

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [moːˈmɛn.tũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [moˈmɛn.tum][1]

Forms

mōmentum n (genitive mōmentī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is contracted from *movimentum, Proto-Italic *mowementom, from moveō “to move” with the suffix -mentum.[2][1][3] Isidore says it is named from the shortness of time.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Terence, whom he dates 190–159 BC.[5] The OLD's earliest citations for most senses are from Cicero.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant a movement, impulse, push, as Livy's trees falling at a light push, and in Vitruvius a downward pressure, weight.[2][6] It meant movement along a course, a stage of motion, as Cicero's stars, and in Livy the exertion of force.[2][3] It meant a minute particle or point, a minute division or amount, and mōmentum temporis a brief moment, as in Virgil, and mōmentō instantly.[2] It meant a decisive stage, a turning point, an influence, cause, and importance, weight, so that nūllīus mōmentī meant of no importance.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant importance, moment.[7] British Medieval Latin used it of movement and of a short period of time.[8] Through Old French moment and directly from Latin it gave English moment in the late 14th century, and English momentum was taken into mechanics in the 1690s.[9]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence has the word.[5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of movement and of importance.[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses mōmentum temporis.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English moment is recorded.[9]
  • 1690s – English momentum is used in mechanics.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A movement, impulse; weight.[2]
  2. A course of movement; force.[2]
  3. A particle; a minute amount.[2]
  4. A moment, instant, mōmentō, instantly.[2]
  5. A turning point; an influence.[2]
  6. Importance, weight, nūllīus mōmentī, of no importance.[2]

Word family

  • momentana
  • mōmentāneus
  • mōmentārius
  • mōmentōsus
  • mōmentāliter

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com