numerabilis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [nʊ.mɛˈraː.bɪ.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [nu.meˈraː.bi.lis]^[1]

Forms

numerābilis (neuter numerābile); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from numerō “to count” with the suffix -bilis, from numerus “number”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Horace, whom he dates 65–8 BC, and Horace uses it of a people few enough to count.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant possible or easy to count, and so few in number, as in Horace, and Ovid uses it of a pebble.^[2][5][6] Lewis & Short call it poetic and very rare.^[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for what can be numbered or measured.^[7] It gave English numerable in the 1570s, and its negative innumerābilis is the source of English innumerable.^[3]

Timeline

• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it.^[4][5]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it.^[6][4]
• 1570s – English numerable is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. That can be counted, numerable; few.^[2][5]

Word family

• innumerābilis

Related words

• numerus
• numerō
• English numerable

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ 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