nihilominus

Forms

nihilōminus (not comparable)^[1] It is also written nihilō minus and nīlōminus.^[2][1] Caecilius has the parts reversed, minus nīlō.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin nihilō (“by nothing”) + minus (“less”), the ablative of nihilum (“nothing”) with the comparative adverb, “less by nothing”.^[2][1] De Vaan derives nihilum from *ne hīlom (“not a bit”), with hīlum (“a whit”), which has no etymology.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first examples are in Terence, “say it: I'll do this none the less”, and Cato, who writes that if nothing comes of it the expense will be incurred all the same.^[2]

Semantic evolution

After a concessive clause it means none the less, notwithstanding, just the same, as in Cicero and Livy, and its parts are sometimes separated by tamen and other words.^[2] The physician Scribonius Largus uses it in the sense likewise or as well.^[2] Church Latin glosses it yet, nevertheless, notwithstanding.^[4] In medieval Latin it can mean also, moreover, or namely.^[5]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato in his work on farming.^[2][6]
• 190–159 BC – Terence in the sense none the less.^[2][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it often.^[2][6]

Meanings

Adverb

1. None the less, nevertheless, notwithstanding, just the same.^[2][4][1]
2. Likewise, as well.^[2]
3. (Medieval Latin) Also; moreover; namely.^[5]

Related words

• nihil
• minus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de