Etymologically
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singulus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsɪŋ.ɡʊ.ɫʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsiŋ.ɡu.lus][1]

Forms

singulus (feminine singula, neuter singulum); first/second-declension numeral[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *sem-g-(lo-), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *s(e)m-gʰ- (“single”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one”) of simplex and semel.[2][3][4] De Vaan rejects the older derivation as *sem-ǵno- from the root “to be born”, and follows Meiser, who sees a distributive particle *-gʰ- later extended with *-lo-.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[2] who speaks of those who eat one meal a day each.[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was mostly used in the plural, singulī, distributively “one apiece, one to each”, as in Cato's one urn to each wineskin.[3][6] It also meant taken separately, individual, single as opposed to groups, and single in number.[3] Lewis and Short note that the singular is only ante- and post-classical.[6] The feminine singulae named a coin.[3]

In medieval Latin singulī meant every.[7] Through Old French sengle it gave English single, first “unmarried”, in the early 14th century.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of one meal apiece.[3][5]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of one urn to each wineskin.[6][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of prodigies reported by single witnesses.[3][5]
  • early 14th century – English single “unmarried” is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Numeral

  1. (plural, distributive) One apiece, one to each.[3]
  2. Taken separately, individual.[3]
  3. single, isolated.[3]
  4. Single in number.[3]
  5. (Medieval Latin, plural) Every.[7]

Word family

  • singillātim
  • singulāris
  • singulārius
  • singulātim

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill