quotienscumque

Forms

quotiēnscumque (not comparable)^[1] It is also spelled quotiēscumque, -cunque and -quonque.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin quotiēns (“how often, as often as”) + -cumque.^[2][1] quotiēns is made from quot (“how many”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *kwoti and Proto-Indo-European *kwe/o-ti (“how many”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short cite it first from Cicero, who says in the speech for Cluentius that every time he speaks he seems to stand trial himself.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It is a relative adverb, "every time that, as often as, whenever".^[2][4][1] Cicero uses it in his speeches and in the Tusculan Disputations, and Nepos uses it too.^[4] The Vulgate has hoc facite quotiēnscumque bibētis, “do this, as often as you drink”.^[4]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero of every time he speaks.^[4]
• c. 100–24 BC – Nepos.^[4]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate.^[4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Every time that, as often as, whenever.^[2][4][1]
2. However often.^[1][4]

Related words

• quotiēns
• totiēns
• quot

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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 f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press