numeralis

Forms

numerālis (neuter numerāle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin numerus + -ālis, from the word for number.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the grammarian Priscian, in the phrase numerale nomen, a numeral.^[4][5][2]

Semantic evolution

Late Latin used it as a term of grammar, “of or belonging to number”.^[4][6] British Medieval Latin applied it to figures and letters used for numbers, to counters, and to words that express number,^[7] and Thomas Aquinas has it in the sense “numerical”, in phrases such as distinctio numeralis and unitas numeralis.^[8]

English borrowed it through French as numeral in the 1520s for a word expressing a number.^[3]

Timeline

• 6th century AD – Priscian calls a numeral numerale nomen.^[4][2]
• 1259–1265 – Thomas Aquinas uses it in the Summa contra Gentiles.^[8]
• 1520s – English borrows it through French as numeral.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or belonging to number, numeral;^[4][5] numerale nomen, a numeral.^[4][5]
2. (Medieval Latin) Expressing a number, of a figure, letter, counter or word.^[7]
3. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) Numerical.^[8]

Word family

• innumerālis

Related words

• English numeral

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b c Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh