Etymologically
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universe

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [uː.nɪˈwɛr.seː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [u.niˈvɛr.se][1]

Forms

ūniversē (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ūniversus (“all together, whole”) + -ē.[2][1][3][4] That adjective is formed from ūnus (“one”) and the participle of vertō (“to turn”).[1] De Vaan cites the Old Latin plural ⟨oiniuorsei⟩ in the Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus and traces the numeral to Proto-Italic *oino- and Proto-Indo-European *Hoi-no- (“one”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it first in Cicero,[3] who in the Verrines asks why he should speak of the other punishments of Roman citizens one by one rather than by class and in general (singillatim potius quam generatim atque universe).[2][6][7]

Semantic evolution

In a letter to Atticus Cicero writes that he gave the rest as general instructions, and one thing specifically (cetera universe mandavi, illud proprie).[2][6][7] Vitruvius uses it of the proportion of the parts of a work taken separately and as a whole,[2][7] the jurist Javolenus in the Digest of a whole sum,[2][7] and Gellius has it too.[8]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of speaking in general terms.[2][3]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of a work as a whole.[2][3]
  • second half of the 1st century AD – Javolenus uses it in a legal opinion preserved in the Digest.[2][3]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it.[8][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. In general terms, generally.[2][6][8]
  2. In respect of the whole, as a whole.[2][7]

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
  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 Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.