praeterea

Forms

praetereā (not comparable)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from praeter “beyond” and ⟨eā⟩, a case form of is, like intereā; it is also written separately.^[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus on:^[4] iussī eī quīnque argentī dēferrī minās, praetereā ūnam in opsōnātum, “I had five minae of silver brought to her, and one more besides for food”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Praetereā means “in addition, besides”, and when an author adds a further point or example “moreover, furthermore”.^[2][3][1] Wiktionary also gives “thereafter, henceforth” and “else” (nihil praetereā “nothing else”).^[1]

In Medieval Latin it could mean “above all”.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – First found in Plautus.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero: nihilne vōbīs in mentem venit, quod praetereā Crassō requīrātis? “does nothing else occur to you to ask Crassus?”^[3][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In addition, as well, besides.^[2][3][1][6]
2. moreover, furthermore.^[2][1]
3. Thereafter, henceforth.^[1][6]
4. Else.^[1]
5. (Medieval Latin) Above all.^[5]

Related words

• praeter
• intereā
• īnsuper

Usage notes

Döderlein says that praetereā completes what has gone before, while īnsuper adds something over and above it.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper