Etymologically
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simul

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsɪ.mʊɫ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsiː.mul][1]

Forms

simul (not comparable)[1] Plautus and inscriptions have the older form semul.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *semali (“alike, together”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *smh₂-el-i-, the old neuter of the word that became similis “like”.[4][2][1] The older form was ⟨semul⟩, and ⟨simul⟩ took its /i/ from ⟨similis⟩.[4] Cognate with Ancient Greek ὁμαλός (homalós, “even, level”), Old Irish samail (“like”) and Gothic 𐍃𐌹𐌼𐌻𐌴 (simle, “once”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, “together”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant in company, together, as in Plautus and Cicero, jointly, as in Ennius, and at the same time, as well.[2] With ut, as in Titinius, and as simul atque in Lucilius it became a conjunction, “as soon as”, and Ovid used it as a preposition with the ablative.[2]

British Medieval Latin used it for together.[6] Its compound īnsimul survives in French ensemble and gave English ensemble in 1703, and Medieval Latin simultāneus gave English simultaneous in the 1650s.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][5]
  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius has simul atque.[2][5]
  • 1650s – English simultaneous is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Together, in company.[2]
  2. At the same time, simultaneously.[2]

Conjunction

  1. simul (ac, atque, ut), as soon as.[2]

Word family

  • īnsimul
  • simultās
  • simultāneus
  • hic
  • is
  • quisque
  • quispiam
  • alius
  • eiusmodī
  • eiusdemmodī
  • cuiusmodī
  • cuiusmodīcumque
  • cuiusvīsmodī
  • similis
  • semel
  • English simultaneous
  • English ensemble

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com