supremitas

Forms

suprēmitās f (genitive suprēmitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin suprēmus + -tās.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Late Latin word.^[3] Solinus, in the first half of the 3rd century, has it for the end of life, death.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

Ammianus Marcellinus uses the plural for extremities, such as the tip of the nose, and calls burial the honour of the last moment (supremitatis honor).^[1][6][3] Claudianus Mamertus uses the plural for the highest dignities or lofty speculations.^[3][6] Osbern of Gloucester lists it among the derivatives of supremus,^[2] and a deed of homage of 1450 uses it for supreme power or sovereignty.^[7]

Timeline

• first half of the 3rd century AD – Solinus uses it for death.^[4][5]
• c. 390 AD – Ammianus Marcellinus uses it for the tip of the nose and for the end of life.^[1][5]
• first half of the 5th century AD – Claudianus Mamertus uses the plural for the highest dignities.^[3][5]
• 1450 – A deed of homage uses it for sovereignty.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chiefly in the plural) The extremity, tip.^[1][6]
2. The end of life, death.^[3][1][4]
3. (in the plural) The highest honours or dignities; lofty speculations.^[3][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) Supreme power, sovereignty.^[7]

Related words

• supremus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
2. ^ a b 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
3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre