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namque

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word namque

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
204–169 BC, Ennius

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈnaŋ.kʷɛ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈnaŋ.kʷe][1]

Forms

namque [1] It is also written nanque.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from nam “for” and the particle -que, a strengthened ⟨nam⟩.[4][2][3][1][5] De Vaan takes ⟨nam⟩ to be perhaps an old accusative singular feminine ⟨*nām⟩ of a stem Proto-Italic *no- (“that”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ennius has namque rēgnum suppetēbat mī, “for I had a kingdom”.[4] De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus,[5][6] who uses it in replies: namque ecastor Amor et melle et felle est fēcundissumus, “yes indeed, Love is very rich in both honey and gall”.[4]

Semantic evolution

In early comedy namque assents, “certainly, to be sure”.[4] Its usual sense is explanatory, “for”, and causal, introducing a proof, “for, because”; it also follows an announcement, “now, well then”.[4][2][1] Lewis and Short describe it as an emphatic nam, introducing the reason with more force.[2]

In Medieval Latin it can also mean “on the other hand, but”.[7]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius: namque rēgnum suppetēbat mī.[4][6]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: namque ecastor Amor et melle et felle est fēcundissumus.[4][6]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it to introduce a proof.[4][6]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. Certainly, to be sure, yes.[4]
  2. for, for indeed.[4][2][1]
  3. For, because, since.[4][1]
  4. Now, well then.[4]
  5. (Medieval Latin) On the other hand, but.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Namque.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/namque. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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