Etymologically
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tertius

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛr.ti.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛr.t͡si.us][1]

Forms

tertius (feminine tertia, neuter tertium); first/second-declension numeral[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *tritios, from Proto-Indo-European *tr̥tyós (“third”), from the root of trēs “three”.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in the Laws of the Twelve Tables and in Livius Andronicus.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant third in order, as Plautus' “show me the third hand too”, third in time, as Cato's “take them down on the third day”, and counted inclusively, the next but one, as nudius tertius, “the day before yesterday”.[2] It meant a third one besides two others, and third in importance, as Livius Andronicus' daughters who sit third in the royal seats.[2]

Tertia pars was a third part, and tertio quoque die “every other day”.[2][4] In Medieval Latin it also meant a third of the revenues of a benefice.[5] English tertiary came from its derivative tertiarius in the 1650s.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.[3]
  • c. 280/260 – before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of rank.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a third hand.[2][5]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses tertio die, “on the third day”.[2][5]
  • 1650s – English tertiary comes from its derivative.[6]

Meanings

Numeral

  1. Third (in order).[2][1]
  2. Third (in time).[2]
  3. Next but one, nudius tertius: the day before yesterday.[2]
  4. A third (besides two others).[2]
  5. Third (in rank or importance).[2]
  6. tertia pars: a third part.[2]

Word family

  • subtertius
  • supertertius
  • tertiadecimānī
  • tertiānus
  • tertiārius
  • terticeps
  • tertiocerius
  • English tertiary

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com