Etymologically
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quominus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈkʷoː.mɪ.nʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈkʷɔː.mi.nus][1]

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]

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