proximus

Forms

proximus (superlative, feminine proxima, neuter proximum); first/second declension^[1] The older spelling is proxumus, and inscriptions write proxs-.^[2] Cato has a locative proximī, and a comparative proximior occurs in Seneca and the jurists.^[2]

Etymology

It is the superlative of prope (“near”), with propior (“nearer”) as its comparative.^[2][3] The OLD analyses it as ⟨*proque⟩ plus the superlative suffix ⟨-simus⟩.^[2] De Vaan, following Dunkel, takes ⟨prope⟩ from Proto-Indo-European *própro (“on and on, ever further”) with loss of the second /r/, cognate with Sanskrit प्रप्र (prá-pra) and Ancient Greek πρόπρο (própro); he explains the superlative from ⟨*propsamo-⟩, the rare sequence /ps/ before the suffix being replaced by /ks/.^[3] Wiktionary reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *prokʷism̥mos.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from the Twelve Tables;^[3][4] the OLD's earliest literary example is Plautus, who has an old man living in a farmhouse “right next to the sea”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It means “nearest, next” in place, and of a route the shortest; as a neuter noun proximum is the neighbourhood, and in proximō “close at hand”, also the house next door.^[2] Of persons it is the nearest, a neighbour, and proximus līctor is the lictor walking just before a magistrate.^[2] It also meant readiest to hand, and proximum est ut “it is most likely that”.^[2] In time it is either “last, most recent”, as in Plautus' “this last night”, or “next, following”, as proxima Dionysia “the next Dionysia”.^[2]

Church Latin used it as a noun for “neighbour, relative”, the word of the commandment to love one's neighbour.^[5] In Medieval Latin in proximō and ex proximō meant “soon”.^[6] Its ablative gave English proximo “of next month”, used in letters.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 450 BC – the Twelve Tables.^[3][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a house nearest the sea and of the last night.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of the lictor walking next to a magistrate.^[2][4]
• Medieval Latin – in proximō “soon”.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Nearest, next in place, adjacent; of a route, shortest.^[2][1][5]
2. (neuter as noun) The neighbourhood;^[2][5] in proximō, close at hand; the house next door.^[2][5]
3. Of persons, nearest, next; living close by;^[2] proximus līctor, the lictor immediately before a magistrate.^[2]
4. Readiest to hand;^[2] proximum est ut, it is most likely that.^[2]
5. Of time, immediately preceding, last, most recent; just mentioned.^[2][1]
6. Of time, immediately following, next.^[2][1]

Noun

1. A neighbour; a relative.^[1][5]
2. (Medieval Latin) in proximō, ex proximō: soon.^[6]

Word family

• proximitās
• proximō

Related words

• prope
• propior
• propinquus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com