Etymologically
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ultimum

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Forms

ultimum n (genitive ultimī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of ultimus (“farthest, last”) used as a noun and an adverb.[1][2][3] De Vaan traces ⟨ultimus⟩ to Proto-Italic *oltamo- (“most to that side”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₂ol-tm̥Ho- (“furthest, last”), from the root of ille (“that”) (older ⟨olle⟩); cognate with Oscan últiumam (“last”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first example in the OLD is Lucretius, where the sun has driven to the farthest parts of the sky (ultima caelī).[1][3]

Semantic evolution

As a noun it is the farthest part or end, as Cicero's heaven “which is the outermost and farthest part of the world”, and the last part or conclusion, as Livy's end of a speech and Seneca's “you have reached the end of human life”.[1] The plural ultima is the last things or the outcome, as Cicero's “wait for the end”, and a last resort, as Livy's men who decide to try the last resort.[1] Ad ultimum is “to the end, to the last” and “finally”, as in Livy and Quintilian.[1]

The adverbial ultimum is “for the last time”, as in Apuleius of a dead man “mourned for the last time”.[1][2]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius of the farthest parts of the sky.[1][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of the outermost part of the world.[1][3]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of ad ultimum and of a last resort.[1][3]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius of “for the last time”.[1][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The farthest part, extremity; the end, conclusion.[1]
  2. (plural ultima) The last things, the outcome; a last resort.[1]
  3. ad ultimum, to the end; finally.[1]

Adverb

  1. For the last time.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill