saepenumero

Forms

saepenumerō (not comparable)^[1] It is also written as two words, ⟨saepe numerō⟩.^[2][3] Gellius has the comparative ⟨saepius numerō⟩.^[2][4]

Etymology

It is from Latin saepe (“often”) + numerus (“number”), with the ablative ⟨numerō⟩, “in number”.^[2][1][5] De Vaan explains the adverb as an old neuter *saepi, “closely packed”, related to saepēs (“hedge”), whose sense shifted to “close together” and then to “often”.^[6] The noun goes back to Proto-Italic *nomeso- and Proto-Indo-European *nem-e/os- (“apportioning”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[5] who has it in the opening sentence of De oratore.^[7]

Semantic evolution

It means on many occasions, repeatedly, and is used by Cicero and Caesar.^[2][3][7] The comparative saepius numero appears in Gellius.^[2][4] It remained in use in medieval Latin: Bede uses it, as do later British writers.^[8]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in De oratore.^[7][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it in the Gallic War.^[7][5]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius uses the comparative saepius numero.^[2][5]
• first third of the 8th century – Bede uses it in his Ecclesiastical History.^[8][5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Often, on many occasions, repeatedly.^[2][4][8]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
4. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press