secundum

Forms

secundum (+ accusative)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin secundus (“following; second”), whose neuter is used as an adverb and a preposition.^[2][3][4] De Vaan explains that adjective as a preform Proto-Italic *sekwo-ndo- (“following”), made from sequor (“to follow”), which came to be used as the ordinal “second”.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus on,^[4] both as an adverb, age i tu secundum (“go on, you follow behind”),^[2][3] and as a preposition, hominum secundum litus (“people along the shore”).^[2]

Semantic evolution

Plautus already uses the preposition of time, “after”, and of rank, “next to”;^[2] Cato has it in an order of feeding, giving elm leaves after millet.^[2] The sense “in accordance with” appears in Terence and Cicero, as in secundum tabulās testāmentī, “according to the terms of the will”, in the Verrines,^[2] and in legal language it meant “in favour of” a party.^[2] As an adverb it is rare: “behind”, and “in the second place”, “secondly”.^[2][3]

In Medieval Latin it also meant “as regards”, “in proportion to” and “like”,^[6] and scholastic Latin used secundum quid, “relatively”, “in a certain respect”.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it as an adverb and a preposition, of place, time and rank.^[2][4]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of order, “after”.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of conformity, “in keeping with”.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of conformity with a will.^[2][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it for “after and in view of” an event.^[2][4]

Meanings

Preposition

1. (+ accusative) Behind, following after.^[2][3]
2. Along, alongside; next to, beside.^[2]
3. (of time) After, immediately after.^[2][3]
4. Next to in order or rank, second to.^[2]
5. In accordance with, according to; in keeping with.^[2][3]
6. (law) In favour of.^[2]
7. In pursuance of.^[2]
8. (Medieval Latin) As regards; in proportion to; like.^[6]

Adverb

1. Behind, after.^[2][3]
2. In the second place, secondly.^[2][3]

Related words

• secundus
• sequor

Usage notes

In the sense “secondly” it is equivalent to secundō.^[2] Niermeyer also records a medieval noun secundum, a second as a division of time.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c 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 u v w Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson