vicissim

Forms

vicissim (adverb, not comparable)^[2][1]

Etymology

It is formed from vicis (“turn, change”).^[2][3] De Vaan reconstructs a root noun Proto-Italic *wik- (“turn”) and Proto-Indo-European *uik- (“a turn”), perhaps from a root meaning “to tie, turn”; for the adverb an i-stem is usually assumed, but how it was formed is unclear.^[3][1] Schrijver thought a compound “giving in turn” with the root of dō possible, while Leumann proposed ⟨vici-cessim⟩ “stepping by turns”, shortened by haplology; de Vaan finds none of these convincing.^[3] Wiktionary sees the adverbial ending -tim in it.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^[3] whose Mostellaria has “be quiet a moment, let me speak in my turn”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It means “in turn”, of one in a series acting after another, or of a change of action (Plautus' man who has done badly with cattle and now wants a little farm instead).^[2] Cicero uses it of opposite states alternating, as the earth now flowering and now bristling with frost, and of a change of viewpoint, “conversely”.^[2][4] Manilius has it in the sense “reciprocally”.^[2] Döderlein contrasts it with invicem and mūtuō: ⟨vicissim⟩ marks one thing following another, while those two mark a mutual action between two parties.^[5]

Church Latin glosses it “in turn, by turns, in return, on the other hand”.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of speaking in turn.^[2][3][7]
• 190–159 BC – Terence.^[7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of alternating states.^[2][7]
• 1st century AD – Manilius in the sense “reciprocally”.^[2][7]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In turn, by turns; for a change.^[2][4][1][6]
2. Alternately, of opposite states.^[2][4]
3. Reciprocally.^[2]
4. On the other hand, conversely.^[2][6]

Related words

• vicis
• vicissitūdō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f 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 c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de