Etymologically
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planum

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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]

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