terminalis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [tɛr.mɪˈnaː.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ter.miˈnaː.lis]^[1]

Forms

terminālis (neuter termināle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from terminus “boundary, end” with the suffix -ālis.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Varro, whom he dates 116–27 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant marking a boundary, as of boundary stones, and in Apuleius marking an end, final.^[2] Tertullian has pālī termināliēs “boundary stakes” and Ammianus lapidēs termināliēs.^[5] Georges cites the Terminālia, the festival of the boundary god Terminus, in Augustine.^[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for what marks a boundary or limit.^[7] It gave English terminal in the mid-15th century, “final, ultimate”, and in the late 15th century “marking boundaries”.^[3]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^[4]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of what is final.^[2][4]
• mid-15th century – English terminal is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Marking a boundary.^[2]
2. Final, terminal.^[2]

Related words

• terminus
• terminō
• English terminal

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ 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