Etymologically
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myrias

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈmyː.ri.as][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈmiː.ri.as][1]

Forms

mȳrias f (genitive mȳriadis); third declension[1] The accusative plural is myriadas, as in Greek.[2][3] Medieval writers also spell it mirias.[3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μυριάς (muriás, “ten thousand”),[1][5][2] from μυρίος (muríos, “countless”).[5][6] Its further origin is not certainly explained.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Georges cites it from the Latin translation of Irenaeus and Bede's work on numbers,[2] of the 8th century.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant the number ten thousand, or a myriad, in Christian and medieval Latin.[7][8][4] Medieval writers used it for a countless number: of people, of money or of years,[9] and of the hosts of heaven, the countless angels.[4][3] Humanist translators of Plutarch used it for the Greek ten thousand.[10][4] English took myriad in the 1550s, from French and directly from the Late Latin word.[6]

Timeline

  • 1st third of 8th century AD – Bede uses it in his work on numbers.[2][5]
  • 1550s – English borrows myriad, partly from it.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Late Latin) The number ten thousand, a myriad.[7][8][4][10]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A countless number, a multitude.[4][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
  4. ^ a b c d e f Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de