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unanimus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word unanimus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (ūnus,animus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin unus
French un
Latin unicus
French unique
English unique
Latin unice
Latin universus
Latin unicornis
English unicorn
Latin unanimus
Latin undecim
Latin undecimus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [uːˈna.nɪ.mʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [uˈnaː.ni.mus][1]

Forms

ūnanimus (feminine ūnanima, neuter ūnanimum, adverb ūnanimiter); first/second-declension adjective[1] Plautus, Domitius Marsus and Apuleius have the spelling ūnianimus.[2] A third-declension form ūnanimis is found in Claudian, Ausonius and the Vulgate.[3][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin ūnus (“one”) + animus (“mind, spirit”), with the adjective ending ⟨-us⟩.[2][1][4] The first part goes back to Proto-Italic *oino- and Proto-Indo-European *Hoi-no- (“one”), the second to Proto-Italic *anamo- (“breath, spirit”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁-mo- (“breath”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Plautus,[6] where a character says ego tu sum, tu es ego, unanimi sumus, “I am you, you are I, we are of one mind”.[7][3]

Semantic evolution

It means of one mind, acting in accord,[2][7] and Lewis and Short call it poetic.[7] Catullus applies it to companions, Statius to brothers and Valerius Flaccus even to the winds.[7][3] In medieval Latin it was used of people united in opinion or purpose and of close friends, as in Bede and Alcuin, and of a decision taken by common consent, as in unanimi assensu.[8] English borrowed it as unanimous in the 17th century.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has unanimi sumus.[7][6]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of companions.[7][6]
  • c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of brothers.[7][6]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has the form ūnanimis.[3][6]
  • 1st third of the 8th century – Bede uses it of people of one mind.[8][6]
  • c. 1205 – A Bury St Edmunds document has unanimi assensu, by common consent.[8]
  • 1610s – English borrows it as unanimous.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of one mind, acting in accord, harmonious.[2][7][9]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Of a close friend: devoted, of one heart.[8]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Of a decision: unanimous, done by common consent.[8]

Word family

  • ūnanimitās

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 d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ a b c d e 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
  9. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
Cite this entry

“Unanimus.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/unanimus. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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