potissimum

Forms

potissimum (not comparable)^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of potissimus (“most powerful, chief”), used as an adverb.^[2][1] ⟨potissimus⟩ is the superlative of potis (“able, master”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Indo-European *pót-i- (“master, lord”), cognate with Sanskrit पति (páti-, “lord, master”), Ancient Greek πόσις (pósis, “husband”) and Lithuanian pàts (“husband”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler lists it in the Carmen Saliare.^[4] The OLD's first citations are Plautus, Captivi: it is fitting for an innocent slave to be confident, suom apud erum potissimum, “above all before his master”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Potissimum marks one person or circumstance as particularly concerned, “especially, above all”, and one choice as preferred to every other: Plautus' haud causificor quīn eam ego habeam potissimum, “I make no excuse against having her in preference to all”.^[2] It also means “in the best way” (Plautus: I'll take my revenge best by kissing).^[2] Church Latin glosses it “chiefly, especially, most preferable, above all”.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus in the senses “especially” and “preferably”.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. especially, chiefly, above all.^[2][1][5]
2. In preference to all else, preferably; in the best way.^[2][5]

Related words

• potissimus
• potis
• potius

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson