Etymologically
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secundum

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [sɛˈkʊn.dũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [seˈkun.dum][1]

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]

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