proprie

Forms

propriē (comparative magis propriē, superlative maximē propriē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin proprius (“one's own”) + -ē.^[2][1] De Vaan follows Forssman in tracing proprius to Proto-Italic *prijo- (“own, dear”) and Proto-Indo-European *priH-o- (“own, dear”), with the prefix prō- taken from a verb ⟨*pro-priāre⟩ “to make one's own”, of which the hapax ⟨propriāssit⟩ in Festus may be a remnant.^[3] Cognate with Sanskrit प्रिय (priyá-, “dear, own”), Old High German frī (“free”) and Welsh rhydd (“free”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first example in the OLD is in the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of something attributed to someone as their own.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It means as one's own, belonging to one person, and so on one's own account or privately, as in Cicero's “all Italy officially and all good men personally”, and individually, as in Lucretius.^[2][1] It also means specifically, applying to one person or thing, and properly or strictly speaking, as Varro and Cicero use it of the proper sense of a word.^[2][1] Cicero also has it in the sense appropriately and particularly, especially.^[2][1]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium in the sense as one's own.^[2][4]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius in the sense individually.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero in the senses privately, specifically and especially.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro in the sense strictly speaking.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. As one's own; on one's own account, privately; individually.^[2][1]
2. Specifically, so as to apply to one in particular.^[2][1]
3. Properly, strictly speaking; appropriately, rightly.^[2][1]
4. Particularly, especially.^[2][1]

Related words

• proprius

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b 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 d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de