quominus

Forms

quōminus ^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin quō (“by which”) + minus (“less”), the instrumental ⟨quō⟩ with ⟨minus⟩.^[2][1][3] De Vaan derives the comparative ⟨minor, minus⟩ from Proto-Italic *minōs (“less”), cognate with Ancient Greek μείων (meíōn, “smaller”) and Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃 (mins, “less”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus has it with the parts still separate, quō … minus, in the prologue of the Amphitruo;^[2] Köbler dates it from Plautus.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It introduces a subjunctive clause of negative force, “so that not”, especially after verbs of preventing, delaying or hesitating, where English has “from”: Terence has nē … minus … quō redeat, with the parts still apart and reversed.^[2][5] In early use the parts can be separated or reversed, and it is often written separately.^[2] Tacitus also uses it after a negative main clause.^[2]

Church Latin has it for “so as not, that not”, and after verbs of hindering “from”.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, with the parts separated.^[2][3]
• 190–159 BC – Terence after a verb of hesitating.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero.^[2][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus after a negative clause.^[2][3]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. So that not; after verbs of preventing, hindering or hesitating, “from”.^[2][5][1][6]

Related words

• quīn
• minus

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson