Etymologically
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sin

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsiːn][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsin][1]

Forms

sīn [1] An old spelling sein is found.[2]

Etymology

It is formed from sī (“if”) and the particle -ne, shortened.[2][3][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Plautus,[4] who, after a condition with sī, continues sīn aliter sient animātī, “but if they are minded otherwise”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Sīn introduces a conditional clause that contrasts with one already stated, “but if, if however”, usually after sī, nisi, quandō or dum;[2][3][1] L&S note that it belongs to good prose.[2][3][1] It also follows other constructions, “but if (despite what has been said)”.[2] Cicero writes sīn aliter acciderit, “but if it turns out otherwise”.[2]

Church Latin glosses it “but if, if however, if not”.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: sīn aliter sient animātī.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: sīn aliter acciderit.[2][4]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. But if, if however, if on the contrary.[2][3][1][5]

Usage notes

In Church Latin sin is also the name of the twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet,[5] a word from Hebrew meaning “tooth”.[4]

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 h i j 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. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson