Etymologically
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postremus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pɔsˈtreː.mʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [posˈtrɛː.mus][1]

Forms

postrēmus (superlative, feminine postrēma, neuter postrēmum); first/second declension[1] In the sense “worst” it was treated as a positive, with comparative postrēmior (Apuleius) and superlative postrēmissimus (Gracchus).[2]

Etymology

It is the superlative of posterus “following”, from Proto-Italic ⟨*posterisemos⟩, like extrēmus and suprēmus.[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨posterus⟩ to Proto-Italic *post-ero- (“later”), from Proto-Indo-European *pos(ti) (“after”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant last in time, final, as in Plautus; most recent, latest; nearest the end, rearmost, as in Caesar's ut quisque in fugā postrēmus; last in a series, ad postrēmum “finally”; and of evils extreme, worst, as in Cicero.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant latest, last, and postrēmō, ad postrēmum were “lastly, finally”.[6] British Medieval Latin used it for last, final.[7] It survives in Italian and Portuguese postremo.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the worst.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Last, final; latest.[2]
  2. Rearmost, hindmost.[2][5]
  3. Worst, extreme.[2]

Word family

  • postremitas
  • postrēmōgenitus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ 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 c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ 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