Etymologically
Log in

plerumque

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 21:37. This address is a permanent link to this version.
← Previous version Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [pɫeːˈrʊŋ.kʷɛ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [pleˈruŋ.kʷe][1]

Forms

plērumque (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of plērusque (“most, the greater part”), used as an adverb (an adverbial accusative).[2][1] De Vaan derives plērusque from the older plērus (“most of”), from Proto-Italic *plēro- and Proto-Indo-European *pl(e)h₁-ro- (“full”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”) of plēnus (“full”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus says of bird-traps in eās plērumque ēsca impōnitur, “bait is usually put in them”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Plērumque is “on most occasions, mostly, generally” (Terence: hīc solēbāmus ferē plērumque eam opperīrī, “here we usually waited for her”), and “for most of the time” (Sallust: he mostly kept the soldiers in a fixed camp).[2][4][1] From Cicero on, and more often after Augustus, it is weaker, “often, frequently”, and also “to a large extent” (Cicero: the face largely shows the feelings).[2][1] As a noun with a genitive it is “the greater part”.[1]

Church Latin glosses it “mostly, commonly, for the most part”.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: in eās plērumque ēsca impōnitur.[2][6]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence: ferē plērumque.[2][6]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust: plērumque mīlitēs statīvīs castrīs habēbat.[2][6]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Mostly, generally, usually.[2][4][1][5]
  2. For most of the time.[2][1]
  3. Often, frequently.[2][1]
  4. To a large extent, largely.[2][1]

Noun

  1. (with genitive) The greater part.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de