Etymologically
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ter

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈtɛr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈtɛr][1]

Forms

ter (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *tris, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *trís (“thrice”), from the stem of trēs (“three”).[2][1][3] The OLD reconstructs ⟨*ters⟩ from ⟨*tris⟩, and Wiktionary an earlier ⟨terr⟩.[3][1] Cognate with Sanskrit त्रिस् (trís, “thrice”) and Ancient Greek τρίς (trís, “thrice”).[4][1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler first records it in the Twelve Tables.[5] De Vaan dates it from Plautus,[2] and Ennius' Medea says ter sub armīs mālim vītam cernere quam semel modo parere, “I would rather risk my life in battle three times than give birth once”.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

Ter is “three times, on three occasions”, often of acts repeated in ritual (Virgil, Ovid).[3][1] Bis terque and terque quaterque mean “again and again”, while bis terve is “two or three times, only a few times” (Cicero: Appius had written to him bis terve).[3] As a multiplier it is “thrice” (ter centum, ter dēnī, sometimes written as one word), and with adjectives it exaggerates, “three times as” (Plautus: ter tantō peior, “three times worse”).[3][4] Wiktionary also notes its symbolic use for a sacred or complete number.[1]

Church Latin glosses it “three times, thrice”.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.[5]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius: ter sub armīs mālim vītam cernere.[3][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ter tantō peior.[3][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: bis terve.[3][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Three times, thrice.[3][4][1][6]
  2. (bis terque, terque quaterque) repeatedly, again and again.[3][1]
  3. (bis terve) Only a few times.[3]
  4. (with numerals or adjectives) Three times as; trebly.[3][4]

Word family

  • terdeni
  • teriugus
  • terrūncius

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b 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 l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson