Etymologically
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sempiternus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [sɛm.pɪˈtɛr.nʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [sem.piˈtɛr.nus][1]

Forms

sempiternus (feminine sempiterna, neuter sempiternum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from semper (“always”) with the suffix ⟨-ternus⟩, like hesternus (“of yesterday”) from ⟨herī⟩ and aeternus (“eternal”) from ⟨aevum⟩.[2][3][1] De Vaan derives ⟨semper⟩ from Proto-Italic *sm̥-per (“once and for all”), from Proto-Indo-European *sm- (“one”) in compounds, cognate with Sanskrit सकृत् (sakṛ́t, “once”) and Ancient Greek ἅπαξ (hápax, “once”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Plautus as its first author,[5] who has “he will be your friend for ever” in the Mostellaria.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is lasting for ever or for the whole of the period in question, perpetual, everlasting or permanent, and of people with respect to their role, as Plautus' lasting friend and Cicero's perpetual enemies;[2][3][1] Lewis and Short find it very frequent.[2][3][1]

Church Latin glosses it “everlasting, eternal”, with in sempiternum, for ever.[6] Köbler finds it in the Bible, councils and law codes.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a lasting friend.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of perpetual enemies.[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Everlasting, eternal, perpetual, permanent;[2][3][1][6] in sempiternum, for ever.[6]

Word family

  • sempiternitās

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes continuus, what hangs together without a break, from perpetuus, what goes on to its end without stopping short.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper