Etymologically
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multus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈmʊɫ.tʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmul.tus][1]

Forms

multus (feminine multa, neuter multum, comparative plūs, superlative plūrimus or plūrumus, adverb multō); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *molto-, of uncertain further origin.[2][1] De Vaan mentions a possible Proto-Indo-European *m(o)l-to- (“good, big”), and the OLD compares Ancient Greek μάλα (mála, “very”) and melior “better”.[2][3] De Vaan also relates Oscan molto (“a fine”) and Latin multa “fine”, as a quantity one has to pay, though this is not certain.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Livius Andronicus, and Köbler from the Twelve Tables.[2][4] Plautus has quid multa verba faciam? “why should I say much?”.[3] Köbler dates the Twelve Tables c. 450 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

With a plural noun it meant many or numerous, and as a noun multī was many people and multa many things.[3] With a singular noun it meant much or abundant, and of conditions intense or advanced, as in multā nocte “late at night” and multō diē “late in the day”.[3] Of people it meant assiduous, and in a bad sense tedious or long-winded.[3] Its comparative and superlative were supplied by plūs and plūrimus.[3][1]

Its derivatives include multitūdō “crowd”, the source of English multitude, and Late Latin multiplus, whence English multiple.[5] It survives in Italian molto, French moult and Spanish mucho.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – the Twelve Tables use it.[4]
  • before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has quid multa verba faciam?.[3][4]
  • early 14th century – English multitude is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Many, numerous, multī, many people, multa, many things.[3]
  2. Much, abundant.[3]
  3. (of conditions) Intense, advanced, multā nocte, late at night.[3]
  4. Assiduous, regular.[3]
  5. tedious, long-winded.[3]

Word family

  • multangulus
  • multanimis
  • multēsimus
  • multibibus
  • multicaulis
  • multīcius
  • multicola
  • multicolōrus
  • multicomus
  • multicupidus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e 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 l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com