missile Latin · revision 10026

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cato|origins=ine-pro *meyth₂-}}

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''missile''' ''n'' (genitive missilis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the neuter of [[missilis]] “that can be thrown”, from [[mittō]] “to send, throw”, used as a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan traces ⟨mittō⟩ to [[itc-pro|*meit-e/o-]], from [[ine-pro|*m(e)ith₂-|t=to exchange, remove]].^(de Vaan 2008)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's earliest source is Cato, and the OLD's earliest citation is Virgil.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a missile, projectile, any weapon thrown, such as an arrow or javelin, mostly in the plural, as in Virgil and Livy; and in the plural gifts thrown to the crowd at shows by the emperor, as in Suetonius, and figuratively in Seneca the gifts that Fortune scatters.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

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+ English ''missile'' (1650s) is from it.^(Etymonline)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a projectile.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of gifts thrown to the people.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1650s – English ''missile'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|missile]], [[m|en|projectile]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(plural)'' Gifts thrown to the crowd.^(OLD 2012)

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[missilis]]

+ * [[mittō]]

+ * [[en|missile]]

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}