proelium Latin · revision 17814

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈproe̯.li.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɛː.li.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''proelium''' ''n'' (genitive proeliī or proelī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Older editions often print ''praelium''.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+ In verse the plural is regularly used for the singular, for the metre.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) Klingenschmitt derived it from ⟨*pro-gʷel-io-⟩, comparing [[wlm|ryvel|t=war]], [[lt|gélti|t=to ache, sting]] and [[ang|cwelan|t=to die]]; de Vaan objects that such a form should have given ⟨*prūlium⟩ or ⟨*prōlium⟩, and finds no better root.^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis and Short and Wiktionary mention ⟨*prō-duellium⟩, from [[duellum]], the old form of [[bellum]] “war”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus on:^(de Vaan 2008) ''victī utrī sint eō proeliō'', “whichever side is beaten in that battle”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Proelium'' is an armed encounter, a battle, and also a fight between individuals.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is applied, often jokingly, to things like a battle, such as a drinking bout, and to conflicts in words, disputes.^(OLD 2012) In poetry the plural can mean the fighters themselves.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – First found in Plautus, also of a feast: ''in eō uterque proeliō pōtābimus'', “we'll both drink in that battle”.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Used by Cato in a speech.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius: ''pugnāre ac proelia obīre''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a political fight on his behalf.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|battle]], armed encounter.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # A fight, contest (between individuals).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A battle (of a feast or other activity).^(OLD 2012)

+ # A conflict, dispute.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(poetic, plural)'' Warriors.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[proelialis]]

+ * [[proeliāris]]

+ * [[proeliātor]]

+ * [[proelior]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pugna]]

+ * [[bellum]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein calls ''[[pugna]]'' any fight, ''[[aciēs]]'' a pitched battle between armies drawn up in line, and ''proelium'' an engagement between parts of armies; his English editor notes that ''proelium'' is also used of general battles, as in Nepos' ''illūstrissimum proelium apud Plataeās''.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}