Etymologically
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norma

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈnɔr.ma][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔr.ma][1]

Forms

norma f (genitive normae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is perhaps borrowed from Ancient Greek γνώμων (gnṓmōn, “carpenter's square”), borrowed through Etruscan, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”).[2][1][3] Lewis and Short derived it from ⟨*gnōrima⟩, comparing Ancient Greek γνώριμος (gnṓrimos).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucretius, of a carpenter's square.[2] Köbler's first source is Cicero; he dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a square used by carpenters, builders and surveyors for right angles, and in Vitruvius a right angle, ad normam “at right angles”.[2][4][6] From Cicero it meant a standard, pattern, rule of conduct, as ad normam alicuius sapiēns “wise by someone's standard”.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a norm, rule, standard, way of life, and in canon law an ordinance.[7] Medieval Latin used it for a monastic rule and community.[8] It survives in Italian and Spanish norma and French norme, and English norm came in 1821 through French.[1][3] Its derivatives ēnōrmis and nōrmālis gave English enormous and English normal.[3]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a carpenter's square.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a standard.[2][5]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of a right angle.[2][5]
  • 1821 – English norm is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A carpenter's square; a right angle.[2]
  2. A standard, pattern, rule.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A monastic rule.[8]

Word family

  • abnōrmis
  • ēnōrmis
  • inormis
  • nōrmālis
  • nōrmō
  • normula
  • anōrmalus
  • normāliter
  • normātiō
  • normātūra
  • normātus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill