Etymologically
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paene

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpae̯.nɛ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛː.ne][1]

Forms

paene (superlative paenissimē)[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][3] De Vaan takes the basic meaning of a stem *paen- to be “missing, lacking”, shared with paenitēre “to cause regret” and paenūria “want”.[4] Pokorny's connection with Sanskrit पीयति (pī́yati, “scorns”) would require a root *ph₂-i-, but the root is usually set up as *ph₁-i-, which does not explain Latin -ae-.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards.[4] In Plautus a man says “you nearly broke the door off its hinges, you fool”.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant almost, all but, and was used to soften an exaggeration, “practically, one might say”, as an inscription praising a woman as learned almost by the hand of the Muses.[2] With a negative it meant scarcely.[1] Plautus made a joking superlative paenissume.[2]

Döderlein contrasts paene, “almost”, opposed to plānē, with prope, “nearly”.[5] It forms paenīnsula “almost an island”, the source of English peninsula.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][7]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of nearly ruining a daughter's life.[2][7]
  • 1530s – English peninsula comes from paenīnsula.[6]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Almost, nearly, all but.[2][1]
  2. Practically, one might say (softening an exaggeration).[2]
  3. (with a negative) Scarcely, hardly.[1]

Word family

Usage notes

Döderlein says paene and prope soften an expression that is too strong, while fere and ferme guard only the accuracy of a statement.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de