proportionatus

Forms

prōportiōnātus (feminine prōportiōnāta, neuter prōportiōnātum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin prōportiō (“proportion”) + -ātus.^[2][3][4] Etymonline takes it for the past participle of Medieval Latin prōportiōnō (“to make proportionate”),^[5] a verb the DMLBS labels Medieval Latin,^[6] but the adjective is already found in Firmicus Maternus.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Firmicus Maternus describes a body as satis proportionatum (“well enough proportioned”) in his Mathesis.^[2][3][7][4]

Semantic evolution

In Medieval Latin it meant fitting or suitable,^[8] commensurate (in philosophy), and with bene well-proportioned or shapely.^[9] Ecclesiastical Latin dictionaries gloss it “proportionate” and give the adverb proportionate.^[10] English proportionate (late 14th century) comes from the Medieval Latin word.^[5]

Timeline

• 343–350 AD – Firmicus Maternus describes a well-proportioned body.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English borrows it as proportionate.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Proportioned, proportionate, in due proportion.^[2][3][10]
2. (Medieval Latin) Commensurate; suitable, fitting.^[8][9]
3. (Medieval Latin, with bene) Well-proportioned, shapely.^[9]

Related words

• English proportionate

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ 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
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
9. ^ a b c Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
10. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson