munde

Forms

mundē (superlative mundissimē)^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin mundus¹ (“clean, neat”) + -ē.^[1][3][2] De Vaan considers deriving the adjective from Proto-Indo-European *meud- (“to rejoice”) through *mudno-, although he finds the semantics not compelling.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Plautus, in the sense “neatly, cleanly”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it meant in a clean or orderly way, neatly.^[1][3] The superlative mundissimē, “as cleanly as possible”, is found in Cato's and Columella's instructions on farming,^[3][2] and Lucretius uses the positive of a body neatly cared for.^[5][3] Seneca pairs parum mundē with parum decenter, “in a manner hardly clean or seemly”.^[5] It was also used of style, meaning with elegance of expression;^[1] in Gellius it is paired with graphicē, “vividly”.^[3][2]

British medieval Latin kept the sense “cleanly, neatly”, also figuratively: a verse speaks of living purely, vīvere mundē, and a custumal of about 1230 requires the grain to be gathered in cleanly.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in the sense “neatly”.^[2][5][7]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses the superlative mundissimē in his work on farming.^[3][2][7]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a body neatly cared for.^[5][7]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca pairs it with decenter, “becomingly”.^[5][7]
• c. 1230 – A custumal requires grain to be gathered in cleanly.^[6]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In a clean or orderly manner, neatly.^[1][3][6]
2. (of style) With elegance of expression.^[1]
3. (Medieval Latin) Purely, chastely.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e f Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c d 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
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de