Etymologically
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proximus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈprɔk.sɪ.mʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈprɔk.si.mus][1]

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

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