planum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpɫaː.nũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈplaː.num]^[1]

Forms

plānum n (genitive plānī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of plānus “flat, level”, used as a noun.^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨plānus⟩ to Proto-Italic *plāno-, from Proto-Indo-European *pl(e)h₂-nó- (“flattened”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Varro, of flat ground.^[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant flat or level ground, in the plural level places, and in plānum dare or effundere was to level to the ground; it was also ground level, as in Varro.^[2] Quintilian used it of the plain, straightforward sense of a word or statement.^[2] Ecclesiastical Latin used it as a synonym of plānitiēs “a plain”.^[6]

It gave English plane “a flat surface” about 1600, and through French plan “ground plot of a building”, English plan in the 1670s.^[3]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of level ground.^[2][5]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of plain sense.^[2][5]
• c. 1600 – English plane is recorded.^[3]
• 1670s – English plan, through French, is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Flat or level ground, a plain.^[2][6]
2. Ground level.^[2]
3. The plain sense of a word or statement.^[2]

Related words

• plānus
• plānitiēs
• English plane
• English plan

References

1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ 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 c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson