Etymologically
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unanimus

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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